Rashemen - Book 3

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Elendia quietly stepped out of the shadows. "Let us worry about him Del, and you have little reason to worry about yourself. Your are safe with us. The auras of the dark ones get lighter all the time though I do not beleive they would admit it. And you... You need to find your balance again. I should not have been able to walk up on a sister of the woods so easily." Elendia sat down on the log next to Del, and put a hand on her shoulder. "I realize you may not remember me very well but we were close before you were rejoined with your other half. Your courageous side was not afraid to embrace our friendship. I sense you or more hesitant now. Just know that I am here to help if you need me." Elendia stood, turning to leave. At the edge of the clearing she paused, "I hope you have come to see me as a friend since your rejoining." With that she melted into the trees.

 

Jex left the temple confused. He had been asked to return later that night. The High Cleric was going to try a summoning spell of either one of the demons who wanted revenge against either Jex or Velesse or they were going to attempt to summon Velesse himself. Jex was nervous about it, he didn't trust clerical magic.

As he returned to the inn he found it empty. The others must be looking for Del[i/] he thought to himself and sat down by the fire. He had alot to ponder. He would ask the others the questions that needed to be asked later.

 

Elendia walked down the street, enjoying the day. The sun shone brightly across the main street of the little town, birds chirped in the trees and the cleric/ranger walked boldly down the center of the road. She stopped and watched a small child playing in a small pond. She leaned back against a tree waiting for time to pass. She knew that Del could find her if she wanted to and was almost as certain of both Jex and Nakia. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Jex wander into the inn. She decided to get up and go keep him company. He looked like he needed a friend.

As she entered the inn, she made her way to the bar and ordered a bottle of Elven Moonwine, and two glasses. She paid the barkeep and joined Jex at his table by the fire. "May I join you?" She sat in a chair without waiting for a reply. "I hope you like Moonwine." She said as the barmaid delivered the bottle to the table. Again without waiting for a response she poured him a glass and set it in front of him. Then she poured herself a glass and took a sip. "Are you ok?" she asked after a short, awkward silence. "Do you want to talk?" She took another sip of her wine and waited patiently in silence for Jex to respond.

 

Returning to the inn they found Jex sitting near the fire. Greeting him they exchanged news. Nakia and Ciana then went up stairs where they stretched the scroll on the frame. Now they only had to wait for the scroll to dry.

"Ayee, so much magic in this world and we still have to sit around waiting for nature to do her thing," Nakia commented as they went back down stairs.

Maron and Ciana were off to one of the temples so Nakia and Kongol settled down with Jex.

"Wonder what the Drow Brothers are up to." Nakia muttered as she turned to Jex. "So Jex, brother of my spirit, you return to the temple tonight." She stares into the fire not wanting to say anything that might upset Jex further. She watches the dancing flames and the smoke spiraling up into the chimney. Now halflings are not imaginative folk and Nakia is no seer to see portent's in the smoke but she shivers despite the warmth from the fire.

Speaking softly, "I miss Sepp so badly. How I wish he were here." Seeing a quizzical look from Kongol she explains about her relationship to Sepp. She smiles at a look from Kongol.

"He is my primo. No romance there, Kongol. Tis forbidden. Besides my heart is already taken if only all goes well." Again she stares into the flame and fire but if she sees anything she is quiet about it.

[ May 25, 2006, 23:03: Message edited by: Nakia ]

 

The Drow brothers stirred in their rooms, and freshened up. They decided to join the others in the common room by the fire, so they drew their hoods and proceeded down the stairs. They pulled up chairs by Nakia and the others, smiling.

 

"Tonight I return to the temple. They intend to summon either a fiend who might know of who is attacking me, or the spirit of my father or one of mine or his many enemies we've made over the years." Jex slowly took a sip of Moonwine and stared off into the fire.

"I don't know whats going to happen or what is happening, but I hope to get a few answers tonight. Hopefully nothing to serious happens, but you never know. If you will wait I will return to here to the Inn in the morning and we'll go from there."

 

Nakia reaches out and pats Jex on the hand. "We'll be here. You know that you can count on us. Besides Ciana and I are involved in a little project that will take a few hours."

Nakia orders some food and drink. When it comes she settles down to enjoying two of the Halflings favorite things, eating and the companionship of friends.

 

"I'll be fine, I can take care of myself; but not if you don't take care of j...yourself."

As she walked away, Maron turned back to Del, and smiled.

'So, it's like that, is it?' she thought 'Well, well, well. Who'd have thought it?'

She filed that little slip of the tongue away for future reference and interference, and turned to Ciana.

"So, which temple is best for you?"

 

Ciana looked at Maron "It doesn't matter as long as it's good and you don't mind doing it, I mean you forced into this, if you feel ... I'm sorry, I'm basbbling, I do that when I'm nervous"

 

Maron laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Don't worry. I'm happy to help, honestly."

She looked around the street for a moment, before she saw one in the distance.

"Looks like Silvanus is closest. Let's go there."

Sure enough, she did.

 

Ciana murmured a thank you and followed the beutiful elf to the temple.

 

Maron approached the altar, and opened the scroll. She glanced through it, to make sure she understoof the words. Elevn runes, no problem there. She looked to Ciana, who nodded, and began to read.

As she read, she became increasingly aware of a prescence in the temple. Warm, loving, fatherly.

As she finished the reading, the feeling washed over them in a crescendo of glory, and the scroll disappeared in her hands. Breathless, she looked to Ciana.

 

Ciana felt the love and warmth of her god wash through her, she felt cradled in it, she could feel the cleansing of her soul. The memories were left but none of the painful associations existed anymore, she was centered again.

Something felt wrong and itchy about her head, she untied the mask and took it off, as she did a mass of auburn curls fell out, her emerald eyes sparkled with tears, ahe looked in a mirror and found that the scars had faded almost to nothing.

<Thank you, Father> she prayed to Corellon Larethian, and was surprised when she got a reply

<Welcome are you, Daughter, be well>

The other surprise was that she still knew where Del was, there wasn't the pull of the geas, just the knowledge.

Ciana took hold of Maron's arm and guided her back to the Inn, seeing Nakia having food, she ordered for them both and joined the table.

"Jex, can I help you in any way?"

[ May 28, 2006, 22:56: Message edited by: DarkStrider ]

 

As the two joined them, Nakia stared in marvel at the lovely woman with Maron. From her dress she knew it was Ciana but a very changed Ciana. She said nothing, simply turned back to the others. Again she looked into the fire, her thoughts on Sepp and those she loved.

 

"No Ciana. I'll deal with this myself for now. I'll tell you all tomorrow if you can help." With that Jex got up, and went to his room, he needed some quiet time to ready himself. As he entered his room, he stopped in front of the mirror. Staring at the burning red eyes that glared back at him he raised his hand and noticed that he was shaking. For once in his life, Jex was nervous.

 

Ciana finished her food after Jex left, and then moved next to Nakia, speaking softly in halfling

"Nakia, it seems that since Sepp had to leave, that you have become a leader of this group, I feel you should know something. When my God restored me, something was left of the geas in me; there is no need to do anything on my part, but I know where Del is at all times, if I concentrate I know how she feels as well. I don't know why it was left, but He must have a Purpose of some kind."

 

Nakia looked at Ciana and then laughed. "Ayee, leader! Well without Del to get us out of this wilderness only the gods know where I might lead you. I know nothing of this area. There is a trail leading west but what lies ahead I have no idea."

She shrugs her shoulders "Think you the scroll is dry? Let's us check." She skips to the stairs and up with Ciana close behind. Entering her room she checks the scroll and finds it dry. With Ciana easily looking over her head she begins to read the scroll.

The first part is a short history of the founding of the secret group. "Ciana, this last part seems to be a prophecy of some sort."

 

Jex slipped out through the back of the Inn. He slowly found his way to the temple. He was armed to the teeth, both scimitars, the gauntlet from Torturus on his right hand, the Amulet of Natural Armour, and the various other weapons he carried. He wasn't sure how tonight would go, the nerves had passed and he was ready.

As he entered the temple he was ushered to a circular room with runes engraved in the floor. "It's where we perform our summoning spells." A voice said from behind Jex.

"I know, I've seen some before, can we get started." Jex asked his hands resting on the hilts of his scimiatars.

 

Maron looked around herself, realisedthat she was alone, and shrugged. SHe called over a serving wench ( ), and was soon tucking into a roast chicken and a bottle of red wine.

Heartwarders deserve pampering every now and again, she decided. Especially after so long on the road.

 

Ciana looked at the scroll and started reading through it, it described how the Halflings had fought the Orcs, who in turn were being driven by their God Gruumsh One-Eye, and an artefact of great power. The artefact produced great storms, which could decimate buildings, and armies alike, it was then that Yondalla took action on behalf of her peoples (the Halflings) and through the agency of Sheela Peryroyl created a secret society (The Hidden Hearth) within the halfling ranks; they managed to remove the artefact from Orcish hands, and hide it, and themselves.

The final part as Nakia had pointed out was prophetic in nature and Ciana spoke aloud as she translated. <After the time of Murder’s children, shall Gruumsh once more turn his thoughts to Yondalla’s children, and how they thwarted his schemes. His shamans shall prepare the way, and they shall attempt the breaking of the hearth and the retrieval of Gruumsh’s rage. Help shall come unlooked for from the east unknowing by some of the Protector’s children.>

“Well that explains everything and nothing, apparently the Orcs who your people pissed off a long time ago, are going to try for revenge (no real indication of when, other than the reference to the Bhaalspawn), and some Elves will turn up to save the day. I’m sure those of The Hidden Hearth would like the scroll for their libraries and their must be a better prophecy than that one, usually where there’s one, there’s more and it’s only when you get them all that they start to make sense.

“I’ll see you in the morning Nakia, hopefully Jex will be back with some good news, well news would be welcome in any case. Take care of that scroll I’m sure when you get home, there will be people interested in it’s story.”

With that Ciana let herself out of Nakia’s room, she returned to her own, but found that she really wasn’t ready for bed yet. She picked up her lute and went back downstairs seeing Maron still there eating on a substantive meal, she sat next to the cleric giving her a smile, she sat down and then started playing local songs gently, much to the other patrons delight. Her drink never got empty and a pile of coins built up next to her drink, she only stopped after a word from the innkeeper. Then she settled in her seat waiting for the return of Jex.

[ June 22, 2006, 18:53: Message edited by: DarkStrider ]