---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- Chapter 22: Visit to Mendahl ------------------- ------------ The Characters find out more about each other ----------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (Silver:) Silver rejoins the party just before daybreak. "Hi friends ! What a *beautiful* night this is!" she exclaims with enthusiasm when she sees them. She is smiling, and obviously happy. She wanders over to where Arlon and Tatiana are talking about visiting Mendahl. When she gets a chance to speak, she says "I would also like to meet once more with Mendahl ... especially if there is a chance to talk with the Lady Shilara." At this, Silver looks away for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face. When Arlon moves away slightly, Silver whispers to Tatiana "I met up with Tuft outside the village. You know, 'Ana, I had no idea how *cute* Tuft is. He really is a fine hunter - much better than me ! But don't let him know I told you so ...." she grins. (Tatiana:) Tatiana rolled her eyes with a friendly "you can't be serious" look to them as she told her Tuft was cute. She tightly controlled her thoughts so that the conversation wouldn't be picked up by Tuft. That's the last thing she needed was a love sick owl. "It'll be our secret" she said to Silver with a warm smile and a sly grin quick to follow. (Silver:) "Fine !" said Silver, also smiling. (Tatiana:) "Arlon and I are going out for dinner tonight, would you care to join us afterwards for the camp fire?" she asked. "I'm going to talk about what I know of the core wars." (Silver:) "I'd love to ! I know so little about history. I just never took the time to learn, being so absorbed in other things. You're the first person I've met who is able to make it all come alive again. Lets make sure all of us are there to hear it. How about us all meeting up tomorrow evening ?" The party agree to meet up once more in the Tavern the following evening. But for now we find Arlon, Tatiana, Shade and Silver heading off to see Mendahl. Falrun trails behind, heading toward the shops .... Silver moves up next to Arlon, who is walking besides Tatiana. She says, raising an eyebrow, "So, Arlon, you were going to tell me more about Magick and it's limits ..." (Arlon:) "I'd be glad to Silver, maybe later this afternoon, or tomorrow night during dinner - which I still think I owe you. Tatiana and myself will be going out tonight!" (Silver:) Silver raises an eyebrow at this, and smiles. "Perhaps also you could both tell me more about the Core Wars. I ... missed out on that side of my education ..." she said, sort of apologetically. Leaving Arlon and Tatiana to talk among themselves, Silver moves back to walk beside Shade .... (Silver:) Walking close by Shade, Silver turns to him and says "Shade, I have not had the chance yet to thank you properly for the help you gave me in the Mines. You made me laugh despite myself," at this, Silver smiles, "although you did so at the cost of mocking yourself. I hope that you *were* just jesting, and you were not deliberately demeaning yourself. For you have no cause to." (Shade:) The drow's sharp yet finely chiseled features light up with warmth and affection "It is my pleasure to help you and this group" - he gently squeezes Silver's hand - "you are my friends, the real treasure of my life, you know. About mocking" - he shrugs - "well, you must know someone in order to be good at mocking him" - he turns in a theatrical gesture of professional pride - "I'm a bard all in all, I _HAVE_ to be good at entertaining, and the target I know most deeply is surely meself." (Silver:) "True, Shade, true. And you _are_ very good at entertaining." (Shade:) "Many thanks Silver. Anyway, my years in the drow society gave me a distinct touch of cynicism, and I'm acutely aware of the weakness of my struggle for a better self." (Silver:) "You do better than most, Shade, for you can see - with the insight you have that makes you such a good bard - the dark side of your character. Remember, you would not be so kind now had you not seen your true self and fought so hard against your society and the shape it tried to mould you into." (Shade:) "Yep, it tried _VERY_ hard to make me be something I could not stand." (Silver:) "All things have their place in the Balance, Shade. It is ironic, though, that we need to suffer such pain and anguish in order to be forged into what we are - to realize our true potential for love." (Shade:) "Someone once said 'what does not kill us then makes us stronger'". He sighs "That is not always true, but if you find the strength to look straight in the eyes of your misery and overcome it, then that experience has made you a better elf" - he smiles - "sorry, man." (Silver:) "Or woman ..." says Silver, smiling with him. (Shade:) He looks at Silver and asks with a slightly puzzled expression - "By the way, you referred to a particular episode talking of diminishing myself?" (Silver:) "Oh no. It was, perhaps, my misunderstanding. Just the tone you used when you called yourself a 'cave creature'. Black humour is a wonderful way of expressing your opinion, but being too cynical can make you too dark. And it is the light within you that I enjoy so much." (Shade:) "It's a limitless pleasure to know someone can finally see me and feel the way I feel. The underdark was a place of sorrow: to share was to lose, to trust was to die. All in all I still do not know how I could survive in it so long." (Silver:) "Tell me what it was like, being a bard in the underworld ..." Silver says curiously. (Shade:) Shade shivers. "It was no good Silver. I was trained as the master torturer of the town and the singer for the dead. Drow justice is only a curtain to hide the power of the strongest families, and my work should have been executing people found guilty by torture and compose music and words to match and duet with the screams of agony of my own victims." He pauses in a freezing silence "I could not stand it: I ran away the day I was due for my first performance. The skull tattoo on my right palm is the mark I'm bound to shift from torturer to tortured if my family catch me." "That's why my own songs are usually so melancholic, music was my only friend in those days of darkness. I learnt joy and happiness from bards like 'Ana, years later." (Falrun:) Overhearing Shade's comment on running away, he asks the drow "Have you seen any signs that they may be after you? Or do you think that they will let you be now that you have escaped them?" (Shade:) "They _ARE_ after me, Falrun. Sul wants me. Madly. She will never let me go alone. But as any cave dweller she avoids the sunlight like the plague, so I'm a little safer on the surface." OOC: Do you know Suldrun? She is my little sister. Falrun nods, and takes his leave as the other four continue to see Mendahl. Silver and Shade are still engrossed in conversation .... (Silver:) Silver shivered at the description of the drow's description of what it meant to be called a bard in the underworld. "So you never actually practiced your 'art' ?" (Shade:) "Nay, never. I sometime used the aura of fear evoked by my family name and my professional skill to save my neck, but I swore so long ago never to use that proficiency and I'm resolute to try never to do so." (Silver:) Silver sighs in a quite relieved way, then says "I'm not sure, but to actually perform a task, you must take a pride in it, or in the result. If you do not, then the task will fail. I do not think it is possible for you to take a pride in this dark 'art'. No, I do not think you could ever become a torturer." (Shade:) "No. I'll never become that kind of fellow. I've seen my father drooling in ecstasy for the agony he was giving to his victim" - he spits the words in a disgusted tone - "and I'll never become his heir." - he raises an eyebrow - "A pity this will not stop our family tradition, my little sister has proved herself a very skilled replacement of meself." (Silver:) She frowns, then continues "But Shade, the things I have seen you do - these are very similar to the healing arts I practice. You have such skill and precision ... perhaps, if we have time, I could show you how similar your training actually is to healing." (Shade:) "You honour me more than I deserve, Silver," - the drow smiles - "I'd really appreciate it if you will ever show me." (Silver:) "Yes, you have the skill of a bard, but I believe," holding Shade's hands in hers, "the hands, and heart, of a healer." (Shade:) A stream of warmth runs through the drow's soul "I hope you're right Silver," - then his expression darkens a little - "sometimes, in the heart of a battle when my soul urges me to destroy my enemies, I feel I'm too similar to my dark brothers. Sometime I really fear to lose myself to my heritage." (Silver:) Silver frowns slightly, searching for the right words. After a moment she says earnestly "I understand how you can get caught up in the whirlpool of emotions and battle-lust of melee. No mortal can be so lacking in emotion that they do not feel swept along by such feelings." Silver looks intently at Shade's face, searching to see if her words are reaching the gentle drow, and then continues, "But Shade, the true measure of your soul is what you feel afterwards. Down in the Mines, when the battle with the daemons was over, I sat stunned and shaking as the reality of the battle reached me, and I saw you do the same. With me, it was being so unfamiliar with battle, but with you it must have been the guilt you felt at having enjoyed the battle." Silver's face shows an expression of sadness and sympathy as she says this. "It must be so very hard for you, having these struggles - both enjoying and being disgusted by the necessity of battle. I can offer no words of comfort, except perhaps that I understand your pain, and feel for you. But in the end, you must resolve this struggle on your own. Remember this one thing, though - I am always here if you ever need to talk to someone. And if it comforts you at all, I would trust you with my life." This is said with a very serious expression on Silver's face - she means this, and tries to express this with the earnest tone of voice she uses. And the four friends arrive at Mendahl's tower .... (DM:) Mendahl is very interested in all you have to tell him, and in exchange for the info on the ant man, the temple, and the trident, he will reward each of you with another 500gp if you agree. He is pretty sure that it was a good idea not to disturb the wall yet, and he will wait with doing that until the village is back to strength again from the effects of the battle. The mages among the party may elect to take spells from him rather than the 500gp. This takes the party treasure to 1281gp (or 781gp + spells) plus armour and weapons from Mindak. Eventually, the four of them return to the rest of the party, to find Falrun also walking from the area with the shops to join them .... (Falrun:) After the magic-users return from their talk with Mendahl, Falrun also returns to the group after an early outing. He approaches the party with a smug look on his face and tosses a large sack of coins towards the group. He then says, "Here is the money for the five gems that I cashed in for the group. There should be 437gp's for each of you. I already took my share so you can split up the rest between you." (DM:) This takes the party treasure to 1718gp (or 1218gp + spells) plus armour and weapons from Mindak. (Arlon:) "You must be one heck of a negotiator Falrun, thanks." Turning to address the all of the group, Arlon says "I have a box that I have magically protected, if anyone wants to put any special items in it you are welcome to. (3x2x1.5)" (Shade:) "Thanks Falrun" - the bard smiles - "you have some merchant prince in your ancestry, haven't you?" (Falrun:) With a wry smile Falrun replies "Maybe." (Silver:) Silver smiles at Falrun "Thank you most kindly, Falrun. You have a very persuasive manner." Silver makes no move to take any of the money, until someone else has divided it up. (Falrun:) OOC: Falrun was able to get a little better price for the gems. Yes, it was cleared through Whisper, he said he'd forgotten to send it to the rest of you and he didn't send the original message to everyone because there was some info in it for me only. Enjoy the extra cash. You also notice that Falrun's armour is crudely repaired, just enough to keep it together, as he starts gathering the rest of his monies. "Time to go see the Dwarf with the magical weapons. Maybe after this I'll be a little more help when we run into things that want our hides." (Silver:) "I was not expecting such wealth. Please, Falrun, take some more from my share to help purchase something from the Dwarf at Stonethrow's." As if in way of explanation, she adds "After all, there would not be such money here if it were not for your skills at bargaining." (Falrun:) "Why thank you Silver, now that you mention it, I could use about 200gp's for a purchase at Stonethrow's. If you can spare it, I will certainly pay you back." (Silver:) "Of course I can spare it. And there is no need to pay it back. Really. All the rest of this wealth is *far* more than I need - or want. Take it with my blessing, Falrun." (Falrun:) "I don't mean to belittle your generosity, but it is against my beliefs to be in anybody's debt. If you wish, you can use the repayment to pay homage to your god or put it towards the building of your new home." (Silver:) "Of course, Falrun. I meant absolutely no offense, although I consider myself already in your debt for your skill with blades down in the mines." (Falrun:) "My skill with blades in the mines was of little use against beasts that are not affected by normal steel. However, _next time_ I may be of real use." OOC: When I get my two new swords .... :-) "By the way, Arlon, what did Mendahl do with the wand that you recovered?" (Arlon:) OOC: I am unsure, I think Arlon still has it. I'll have to wait until we hear from Whisper. Arlon did give Mendahl the Trident though. I'll go back through my messages to see if I can make a better judgment. The party separate, some to visit different shops, some to rest. During the day, a few meet up in different places and start to talk .... (Silver:) Later, somewhere less crowded, Silver will talk with Falrun. Eventually, Silver will say "You do hide your true self behind an air of authority and military bearing, my dear Falrun. You have hinted that you had come here to prevent innocent bystanders being hurt. Yet I cannot imagine you leaving threatened people behind to come here. Had you no ties back home ?" (Falrun:) "It's not that I left anybody unprotected, it's just that my presence would have gotten more people hurt. My brother, who is a magic user, does not care for my presence and I have also made a few enemies while recovering stolen goods. Evil mages that went through much trouble to steal something, just to have it taken back, don't appreciate it very much." "It turned out that one of these mages decided to attack me while I was with a ranger friend of mine, Lorn Feyerabend. We were in the village that he had chosen to protect when we were attacked. He threw himself in the way of a deadly spell to spare my life and paid for it with his life." (Silver:) "No ! Oh, such love, such sacrifice. You must have been ... devastated ... to see this." (Falrun:) "I managed to eliminate the offender, but not until a number of villagers joined Lorn in the afterlife. After that, I just didn't feel that I could stay anywhere near innocent people without endangering them with my presence. After all, I knew that if my brother caught up with me, he would have the same careless attitude concerning innocent women and children, so I decided to get as far away as I could and maybe here, nobody will be willing to follow me." (Silver:) "You do care, then. It must have been terrible for you when the attack on this village happened. I know that similar events bring back painful memories. You still care for Lorn, and remember him in your heart, don't you ? You do his memory great service." Silver says with an understanding smile. "But to have a brother which hates so. This I *do* understand. But what of the rest of your family ?" (Falrun:) "At the moment I'll only say that my brother has convinced them of my guilt, so they are, for the moment, on his side." "So what brings you so far from your beloved woods and groves that you would be willing to not only brave the dangers of an unexplored land, but to brave the dangers of an underground world that you so obviously detest?" Assuming this encounter is taking place in a quiet corner of the inn, Falrun will sit back sipping his cup of tea. He seems a bit more relaxed than before, having let some of this off his chest and from the seeming confidence he has gained from the new longsword and the new short sword hanging off either side of his belt. His leather armor is still in mild disrepair, but it doesn't seem to concern him. You're sure he would have had it repaired by now if it was of any consequence. A look of anticipation slowly crosses his face as you start to talk... (Silver:) "Do you believe in destiny, Falrun ? In the mystic pattern that is weaved around us, by the Gods themselves ?" She pauses to see Falrun's reaction, then continues ... (Falrun:) Falrun pauses from his tea, nods and continues drinking. (Silver:) "I had been feeling that my life was becoming ... well, stale is not quite right, because I still took delight in the beauty of my home. But perhaps I had an inkling that forces had shaped me for something. Just what it was, I could not say, but knew that I would be given a sign which would make things clear." "News came into our peaceful grove of this newly discovered land. It was then I had a dream, of flying across a dark lake, it's surface like a mirror of the night sky above, and from the far shore could be heard the mystical song of the forest. I knew my future and the future of this land were entwined. I knew that my whole life ... all the pain and joy ... had been forging me to be ready to come here." "I still search for signs, to see what I can achieve here. Through everything, I *know* that coming here was right. She cares for me, and watches over me. I know this is what She wants." (Falrun:) "I'm sure that one such as yourself will be able to achieve much, anywhere." (Silver:) Silver lowers her eyes, and blushes slightly. "Thank you" she says quietly, and then smiles back up at Falrun. Continuing her explanation, she says "The journey underground was far more frightening than I had imagined it would be, since of the events of my childhood, so long ago. But it is so ironic, that had that never happened to me when I was so young, then perhaps I would not have become who I am. That the Gods might have chosen to weave the pattern differently." "Just think, Falrun. I have been forged in pain and joy, just like your swords. And I am secure and comforted by all of it, all the more by good friends." A slightly puzzled but genuine look of concern crosses her face as she asks "Falrun, are you concerned at all to give a part of yourself to another, like you did to Lorn back home, which might then be taken away by the Gods when their part of the pattern ends ? Are you wary of friendship ?" (Falrun:) "Not wary, just cautious of who I will call 'friend', that's all." (Silver:) "I think I understand. Is that because you fear betrayal, or you fear to hurt others ?" (Falrun:) "I guess it is more my fear of betrayal. When I first started out in the business of troubleshooting and stolen goods recovery, I was in a team with a human, halfling, and a gnome. One night when we were recovering an item from the previously mentioned wizard, I was caught in a trap and I set off an alarm. My 'partners' decided it prudent to leave me and save their own hides." "I can't be too bitter at them though. With the diversion that they caused trying to get out, I was able to escape with the goods that we came for. Later, I also found out that they had been taking things from the people that they weren't supposed to. They had done it behind my back of course, because they knew that I wouldn't approve." "That is why I'm more careful about who I'll call 'friend' these days." (Silver:) "Betrayal is so sad, whatever the circumstances. I feel for you, deeply. I pledge you my friendship though, and would never knowingly hurt you, Falrun." (Falrun:) Falrun gives a slightly embarrassed smile and says, "OK, friend. Ah what a strange word, I haven't used it in quite a while and it seems somewhat alien to me now." "By the way, this gash on my chest is starting to bother me. Is there something that you could do about it?" OOC: Still down about 13 hp. (Silver:) "A good start to my pledge then," says Silver with an ironic smile. "Here you are, hurt while protecting us, and I leave you as soon as we exit the Mines to indulge myself in flight. Oh well, let me see" Silver removes Falrun's cotton shirt, then shakes her head, saying "You should get this shirt cleaned, Falrun. It would do your wound no good whatsoever to have Daemon-stained clothing next to it." (Falrun:) As Silver removes Falrun's shirt, she catches Falrun by surprise and he seems a little distressed. As the shirt comes off Silver sees what appears to be a lump of clay on a leather thong around Falrun's neck. The lump of clay is about an inch in diameter. He fumbles with it a little bit and moves it out of the way, but doesn't appear to want to talk about it. (Silver:) OOC: Damn, that's *really* intrigued me ! (Falrun:) "I'll be sure to buy a new shirt as soon as the shops open on the morn, if you think it can wait, that is." :^} (Silver:) Silver starts to say "Well, I suppose ...." then realizes that Falrun is saying this partly in jest, and chuckles as she continues examining the wounds. (Silver:) Silver has also noticed Falrun's pendant and the way he fumbled about with it. She says nothing (for the moment ....). She gets some warm water, and crumbles some leaves into the bowl. After waiting for a moment, she cleans Falrun's wound, using part of his shirt. "You may notice it tingle slightly as the mixture does it's work" Once the wound is relatively clean, Silver lays her hands on his chest and says .. "Mielikki, Giver of love, Give strength to the strong, Let Your touch flow through me, To vanquish this pain" This action goes on for several minutes, and ever so slowly the edges of the wound begin to heal, and return to a normal colour. Finally, Silver returns the still-stained shirt to Falrun. OOC: The prayers weren't getting through very well, but she did 3 cure lights giving back 10hp total. Whisper will determine how much the herbal mixture and other tending will return. (Falrun:) "Ahhh, that feels much better. Thank you so much Silver. Now if you would let me, I'll buy you a drink." (Silver:) Silver smiles brightly - "I would be delighted, Falrun" - she seems exceptionally pleased at Falrun's offer. "Some of the chilled wine they serve here would be nice." (Silver:) Now the curing has finished, Silver hands Falrun back his shirt, noticing once more the strange clay pendant. "A strange talisman you wear, Falrun ?" says Silver gently. Falrun can see she is interested in the object, but is not really pressing the matter. She would not risk losing the understanding she feels she has gained with Falrun by being too pushy. If there is an embarrassed pause, she continues by bringing out her own small pendant which is a silver owl in flight on a silver chain. "Not very similar to mine," she indicates the owl, "but, perhaps, just as ... significant ?" and a questioning look appears in her eyes. (Falrun:) Falrun looks closely at Silver and her pendant. After a short pause he exclaims, "That is a very interesting pendant that you have also. I'm also sure that it is very significant to you. As for mine, I'll just say for now that it is all I have to tie myself to my estranged family." "If anything should happen that I would be able to get into the good graces of my family again, or prove my innocence to their charges, it is my only way of proving who I really am. And likewise, it is the only means that a bounty hunter / assassin would have of positively identifying me." "So if you haven't guessed by now, it is my family signet ring, covered in clay so as to keep the family name and lineage secret." (Silver:) "Ohh, I see." Silver says as she nods thoughtfully to herself. "Thank you for explaining. I will tell not a soul." she says solemnly. (Falrun:) "Of course you wouldn't, Silver. I wouldn't have actually told you about it if I had thought any less of you." (Silver:) Silver smiles at this, as she watches Falrun put his shirt back on. (Falrun:) "But now, what is the significance of your owl pendant? I presume it has some connection with your god, does it not?" (Silver:) Silver looks at the owl-pendant in her hand, then blushes slightly, eyes downcast. "No, Falrun, no. No direct connection with Mielikki. But a token from long ago, for me to remember a young child, now dead." She sighs. She shakes her head slightly and then says "But enough of old ghosts, eh ?!" and tucks the pendant back inside the neck of her robe. (Falrun:) "Now now, you won't get off that easily. I've told you some of my secrets, now it's only fair and polite to share some of your own. Besides, it did me some good to get that off my chest and I'm sure it will do you good too." Falrun states in a slightly stern tone. He leans forward with interest and tries to show what support he can for Silver to relate her story. (Silver:) Silver looks up at Falrun as he speaks sternly, and she seems quite small and vulnerable in that light. "I realize now how difficult it must have been to relate your past to me just then. It was unfair of me to ask you to do so, and I am sorry." "This is one of my darkest secrets, Falrun. And I hesitate to tell you, of all people. You have a strong sense of right and wrong, which I admire. I would hate to lose our friendship which has grown - and will continue to grow, I hope - by ...." her voice trails off as she realizes she is delaying the moment of truth. She has brought out the pendant and is holding it in her hand. She sits up straight, looks Falrun almost defiantly in the eye and blurts out "I murdered a child, Falrun." Falrun has not seen her like this before, struggling desperately to hold a composed expression on her face, and not doing very well. Silver seems ready to flee from this encounter at a moments notice. (Falrun:) Falrun's eyes go wide at this statement and his jaw drops slightly, but he quickly gathers his composure and responds, "I know that things are not always what they seem and that we, ourselves, can be tricked into thinking that we did something that we really didn't do. From what little I know of you up to this point, Silver, I find it hard to believe that whatever happened is so blunt as you state it. Why don't you tell me what happened and maybe I can help give you a little different perspective on the situation" he says soothingly. (Silver:) Silver notes Falrun's change in tone, and softens just a little. Even so, she still seems very tense. She realizes she has been holding her breath, and exhales slowly, which steadies her nerve enough to speak. She says "It was as a new initiate in the druidic order. I had traveled to a new grove to continue my studies in the Balance, to learn more of Her mysteries. This grove was nearby a small farming community, and with my developing healing skills and herbal knowledge, I quickly found favour with the villagers. One child in particular, grew very fond of me, and I of her." Silver's eyes are starting to fill with tears, and they start to trickle down her cheeks unheeded as she continues "Her name was Jelka, and she was just five years old. She was an only child, and her parents showed true kindness to me. I wanted to repay their love, to spend time with Jelka, and to teach her of the mysteries and beauty which surrounded us." Her tears flow, and she sniffs, but smiles at a particular memory "Falrun, you should have seen her eyes widen at the magnificence of a running stag, her little fingers as she touched the petals of a newly opened flower. And the sounds she made when she tried to talk in the languages of the animals !" Silver's expression darkens as she says "And then, on one of our journeys, I took her along a path, and sat by a shallow stream watching the fish swimming in a calm place by the bank." Silver starts to shiver as she continues ... "I had just pointed out a family of owls nesting up in a tree close by, and we watched them for a while, as I told her about flight and the special talents of owls as hunters. Jelka saw a shaft of sunlight fall upon a bed of wild flowers further along the path, and looked to me for permission to look closer. I nodded yes, and laughed at her eager giggle as she ran to see them up close." "I looked back up at the owls briefly, and then felt something ... some premonition. I turned round just in time to see an Ankheg which had been lying underground near those flowers burst through and grip Jelka in it's jaws. The inhuman eyes looked my way for a moment and then ... and then ... Jelka called out my name. It was the last sound she ever made." Silver is finding it difficult to speak through her tears, her whole body wracked by sobs. She calms, wipes her eyes with a sleeve from her robe, and continues, in a small voice "I cannot remember clearly what followed. The next thing that comes back to me is the memory of walking back to her parents, bringing the lifeless body of their only child back to them." "And Falrun ... they never blamed me. I, who killed her. Silver the kind. Silver the beautiful. Silver the teacher. Silver the _killer_" she ends, bitterly. (Falrun:) Falrun takes Silver's hand in his, "How could they blame you? How could you have known that the Ankheg was there? I don't think they could have blamed you any more than you blame me for the death of my friend Lorn. I didn't actually cast the magic that killed him, but it was because of me that it happened." "Can you control the movements and actions of the wild animals? Can you control the actions of humans? Things happen, life, death, it's the cycle of things. You should know this from your training as a druid. Lorn taught me some of these things." (Silver:) "Lorn, yes, of course" says Silver, her bitterness easing somewhat. "That is part of my pain, Falrun. I _know_ all things happen as part of the great cycles. I _know_ that each death begins a new life. But I could not comprehend why such beauty, such unfulfilled promise, could be taken from me." (Falrun:) "Alas, Silver, you do not know what the gods had in store for this child. She may have been saved from a worse fate or, through her fate, you may have been made into something better than you would have been. The strongest steel is only forged through the hottest fires." (Silver:) OOC: The reaction here is based on what I felt when a close friend of mine died at a young age (she was just 20). Nothing so dramatic as the story, but Silver's reactions are similar. (Falrun:) OOC: I also found out recently that a good friend of mine in high school had died of AIDS recently. Although I didn't feel as strongly about it as you did in your situation, it still was quite a shock. (Falrun:) "If you were at fault, don't you think your god would hold it against you? Instead your god has found favour in you, enough to grant you great power. I saw some of the things you have done and in all of my travels, I have yet to find more than a handful of 'righteous men' who have found such favour from their gods." "If the girls parents forgive you, and your god forgives you for this _accident_ that was out of your control, why can't you find it in yourself to forgive yourself? Don't you think you've punished yourself with this guilt long enough?" (Silver:) "I think that the only true way to forgive myself would be to forget it ever happened. And I do not think I could ever forget Jelka, even through a thousand lifetimes." (Falrun:) "I do not agree, for to forget someone as nice as you describe Jelka would truly be an injustice. I think that forgiving yourself only means that you accept the fact that it wasn't your fault and that you could not have done anything to stop it." (Silver:) "Perhaps. If Jelka had been other than a child, then I could accept, and rest easy. I do not feel the same way about Tarok, even though he was a companion to us all, for he decided his path. I feel responsible for leading Jelka down the path to her ... horrendous ... death. And then again, perhaps I fear that to accept ... that incident ... might mean I remember her less." (Falrun:) "So you might be saying that you don't really think that you are responsible, you're just afraid that if you don't force yourself to remember through guilt, you may forget about her? Are you really doing her memory justice by remembering such a beautiful child in such a horrible fashion? I really don't think that Jelka would want you to remember her like that." (Silver:) "No, no. It's just ... " Silver seems unable to come up with the right words to express what she is feeling. "Perhaps the guilt is simply due to the worries I have about my faith." Shaking her head sadly, she continues "The feelings I have ... my emotions ... are too deep to be covered in one small conversation." (Falrun:) "I'm not sure what worries one so favoured by their god would have, but then I'm no theologian either. :)" (Silver:) "I said it was one of my darkest secrets, Falrun. And with good reason. My faith, which is the one unifying piece of me, could never be overcome by even the fiercest enemy. Yet, the death of Jelka is something I cannot reconcile with my faith. It is a doubt which nibbles at the cornerstone of my belief." (Falrun:) "But I suppose I've spoken enough on this subject. I've given you what insight I am able to offer. It is now up to you to reevaluate your feelings based on the comments made. I feel for you and I hope that you come to peace with your feelings, either now or in the future, because there is too much worry in this world already and there is still beauty to be seen in this world which looks better when seen with eyes that are not clouded with guilt." (Silver:) "Yes, time may change things. 'The Cycles Move On' as they say." Silver says this as if it is something she has said many times to herself in the past. Silver pauses in thought, and then says "The 'Enemy Within'. A phrase I heard once, but quite apt." (Falrun:) "I believe I've heard something like that. It was something to the effect of 'The enemy within is only ourselves'. (Silver:) "But what a powerful and deadly enemy that is ...." A while later, as they talk of other matters, Falrun tucks his clay pendant carefully back under his shirt .... (Falrun:) "I certainly hope that cures your curiosity about me for now, Silver. I wouldn't want you distracted by insignificant objects." Falrun concludes with a slight smirk. "I know how curious women can be." :) (Silver:) OOC: Hmmm, nice comment for roleplaying, Paul ! I really didn't know how to respond to this in character. Still, here goes ... (Falrun:) OOC: Yea, I thought you'd like that. What can I say? When inspiration hits, it hits. (Silver:) Silver narrows her eyes and looks up at Falrun, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry ? Is there something *wrong* with curiosity ?" she says with a slight hint of indignation creeping into her voice. (Falrun:) "Ooh, nothing at all!" Falrun exclaims, still smiling. "If it weren't for curiosity, we would never have met. However, there is something to be said for keeping one's nose out of places that it doesn't belong." he concludes with a grin. (Silver:) Silver notices Falrun smiling, and her tone changes from serious to mock-serious. "Ohh, really! And what ... places ... might you be referring to, Falrun ?" she says, raising an eyebrow. (Falrun:) "Just the deep dark places that store the secrets of men who may not want such secrets to be known. Don't think I didn't notice how 'interested' you were in hearing about my private life and I'm sure you're plying your charms to everyone else in the group who is susceptible" he concludes, still grinning. (Silver:) "Me ?" says Silver, putting her hand over her heart, feigning surprise with wide-open eyes. "Surely not !" Her eyes sparkle with merriment. "As if you could think of me 'plying my charms' to all and sundry. Honestly, I'm not _that_ sort of a druid !" she grins. "And what about _your_ charms, Falrun ? You've certainly kept them quiet !" (Falrun:) "My charms?" Falrun says incredulously. "And what might those be? I think you must be mistaken, I gave up all my charms years ago. They get you in trouble, don't you know." he says with a continued smirk. (Silver:) "Fishing for compliments, Falrun ? And you so confident with people ! No, you may have tried to hide your charms, but get close enough to you and they become hard to avoid !" (Falrun:) "Me? Fishing for compliments? Never! I just find it hard to believe that anyone would consider me charming. Maybe you have me mixed up with someone else, like say, Arlon or Shade. Those two may be considered charming, but me? I think your accusations are totally unfounded." he says with a grin. (Silver:) "An elf, an elf and an elf. Hmm, do I see a pattern developing here ? Oh, what is a poor druid to do to defend herself ?!" (Falrun:) "Maybe you should avoid such lethal company" ;) "Now you, on the other hand, are the one who should be locked up for the good of the males in the group. You could cause serious distractions to the party while we should be paying attention to other things. Why do you think I always scout so far ahead?" (Silver:) "Well, I thought it was so that you could protect me, rather than protecting yourself _from_ me ! So, the hunter becomes the hunted !" (Falrun:) "An elf's gotta do what an elf's gotta do!" "You never know when you're going to find out something that you would rather not know, and then, it's too late." (Silver:) Silver nods in agreement. "Oh yes, as we both know only too well !" (Falrun:) "But remember, if it wasn't for that _spice_, life would be awfully boring." (Silver:) "Hmm, most of the _spices_ I know of are too hot for most people" (Falrun:) "_I_ can handle it!" (Silver:) "Can you truly, Falrun ?" asks Silver, suddenly very serious in both expression and tone. (Falrun:) "Do you doubt it? :) And don't be so dower all the time. The gods know we have enough 'serious' adventurers with us, we don't need that many more." (Silver:) Silver looks confused for a moment, shakes her head a little, then she smiles again, gently this time. "Aah, Falrun. Do you misunderstand me on purpose ? I think you do. And I bow to your wisdom and foresight." As she says this, Silver bows her head to Falrun for a brief moment. Looking up, she smiles once more at Falrun and says earnestly "You show the wisdom of many lifetimes, my friend." Her dark eyes sparkle as she says this. (Falrun:) "Well, I should have the wisdom of many lifetimes, I'm on my second, maybe third, by human standards." (Silver:) "As for being _dower_ I thought _you_ had the monopoly on that ! Why, until now, I had not seen you smile since we left the boat !" she says with an obviously mock-indignant expression. (Falrun:) "Touche', my dear Silver. Until now I had nothing to smile about, but as I get more 'comfortable' in my new surroundings I am able to relax a bit more. Besides, charming company soothes the nerves." he finishes with a warm smile. (Silver:) "Oh, and I had not forgotten your offer to dance, Falrun. One evening soon, perhaps ?" (Falrun:) "I certainly hope that you had not forgotten about our dance, it has been the only thing that has kept me going these past two days." As Falrun says this, you can hear only a slight hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Maybe not too soon on that dance though, I like the sweet taste of anticipation that it leaves on my tongue." (Silver:) Silver rises gracefully, makes a delicate curtsey and says in a gently teasing tone "Until then, my noble liege ... if my frail frame can stand the waiting !" and then sits again, smiling broadly. "Now where has the waitress got to with our drinks ?" Silver says, looking around to find her. When the drinks arrive, she takes her goblet of wine, raises it and says "Well, Falrun. A toast of eight for the Eidolon, eh ? To the two of us; to friends and friendship; to well-kept secrets; to pure and simple beauty; to warmth and trust; to opportunities grasped; to opportunities that ..." at this she winks "... flitted away too quickly; and, of course, to dance !" (Falrun:) "Oh, I'll drink to that" Falrun exclaims as he picks up his glass, "But I think your count of eight might not be valid any longer." OOC: Reference the absence of certain individuals posting for some time. While Silver and Falrun talk, Arlon and Shade are also discussing things in another part of Dark Haven .... (Arlon:) Remembering some things that Shade has told him in the past, Arlon turns to the drow and asks "Have you had many incidents with drow since you came to the surface ? How keen are they on finding you ?" (Shade:) The drow frowns "They usually do not come to the surface, so I haven't had any meeting with my family since I left the underdark. But I know they are still trying to catch me. Sometime Suldrun visits me in dreams. You should know that spell, it's called Nightmare. I'm partially protected from her magical influence by my own family heritage, but she has become _VERY_ powerful." (Arlon:) "Hmmm, Nightmare you say. Yes your sister is high in ability. I don't have anything that could help your defense. Although Silver may have something to help you, if she has access to the spell." "How long did you have to travel through the Underdark before you reached the surface?" (Shade:) "I traveled alone in the underdark for years. But that was because I was a chased quarry, and I had to weave a web of deceiving turns to avoid capture. Traveling straight you can get to the drow cities (if you find the entrance of course) in a fortnight or so." (Arlon:) "Has Suldrun tried to 'contact' you lately with the Nightmare?" (Shade:) "Life in the Underdark can be _VERY_ troublesome even for a powerful woman as my 'beloved' sister" - the drow shudders - "she sometimes reminds me she's still behind me, but with no regularity: sometimes she lets me sleep for a week, sometimes for a month and sometimes keeps me awake for a whole week.... there is no predictable sequence, Arlon." (Arlon:) "Have you met any other Drow, except for Daermon, that have decided to live back on the surface? How long did it take you to adjust to the surface with it's higher concentration of light and so on ?" (Shade:) "I met some other of my people, but I never had a chance to really know them - I'm a mover and so were they. About light, well, I still am not completely accustomed to the higher concentration of light - at noon I have to keep my eyes squeezed and I'm very slightly blinded at daytime. This is not so terrible as I do know how to fight even completely blinded." (Arlon:) "It didn't sound like it when we were coming off the boat; but have you made any friends before coming to this place - The 'surface' people can be just as cruel as the Drow, it may have been disheartening to see, for you." (Shade:) "It really was sometimes. And no, I had no friends on the surface before you, I had some in the underworld (see dark blessings) but I sadly had to leave." (Arlon:) "Feel free to ask me anything you want." (Shade:) "I'll do that, my friend, I'll do just that" - he grins - "There will come time when you will hope to have never met such an annoyance as Shade Shander." (Arlon:) "I have learnt that the Drow have high resistance to magic; but it appears you do not - did it wear off, does it have something to do with the Underdark?" (Shade:) "Yep, it looks like that. I lost it completely after staying out of the underdark for some months. I have heard it is connected with the exposure to some radiation of the underworld." And later that evening, the first one since the party emerged from the mines, Arlon and Tatiana sit down to an intimate dinner for two. Although some of the things they discussed were deeply private, we can reveal some of it .... OOC: Arlon will look at it as a courting/get to know type dinner and campfire. Arlon likes the fact that Tatiana is an ancient history buff like himself; but also likes her passion - she would make a great elf :). Ok, at dinner Arlon would like to know more about Tatiana (likes/dislikes) and what brought her to this land - first date type stuff (it's been a long time for me; so it's tough to remember :] ). I'll make a couple things more 'official' (Arlon:) "What brought you to this land Tatiana ? You seem to be adept in the warriors way, what made you decide to become a bard." (Tatiana:) "Ah trying to get away from things. I've made a few enemies back home and some of them would like to see me gone. I've removed myself as far from the situation as possible." She paused for a moment and the look on Arlon's face told her he wanted to know more. "Well I used to be part of an elite woodland patrol, trained in the use of weapons, and woodland survival. Part of the training was Ancient history so we know mistakes from the past and could correct for them when we had to think on our feet. Usually when a mission went awry" She finished the last with a far away look as if remembering something. "Anyways, I was fascinated with the Ancient history and most of it wasn't well taught to the masses, which I thought was a sin. So after I finished my stint with the Woodland patrol I became a Bard. I started relating some of the tales I learned, and didn't realize I would upset some people." "Some people you can't stop with a fight, and it's better to walk away." She said slightly downcast. She perked up "What about you? What brings you here?" (Arlon:) "It's ok Tatiana, it seems many of us came here to get away from something one way or another. Mine, in a way, is also tragic. As you may have heard me blurt out I am called 'The Avenger' - for good reason and I was happy to be called that. Ever since I first began learning the secrets of magic, I would use it on the evil humanoids that would harass our village. It got me into trouble once or twice; but the village knew that I was ready to avenge anything the humanoids did. So I was given that nickname." "The name stuck when I first went adventuring with others. Any town I was in I would patrol, looking for the evil-doers, and they were usually sorry if I found them. It got me really steamed if I saw or heard about women or children being hurt." "Anyway, I knew about this one town that was harassed by a group of ogres - a departed friend of mine told me about it. Ever since the core wars this town distrusted mages. Even though the town was large, without magical backup they couldn't defeat the ogre 'army'. I decided to see what I could do." "A couple of unexpected things happened when I attacked, including a larger blue skinned ogre with magical powers. I was able to cut the number of ogres to about 1/2, before I ran out of my offensive spells; but there was still a fair number left. These went to the village to attack it - thinking they sent me to do this. I was able to warn the town before the ogres got there. In the following battle the town was able to defeat the ogres; but the town was severely damaged." "I then decided to make the trip to this continent a little ahead of the schedule I thought of. I am a little wiser now, I'm part of a group that I like and I'm getting close to some very special people" he squeezes Tatiana's hand. (Tatiana:) Tatiana smiled sweetly at the pressure and squeezed back. (Arlon:) "Why did you decide to call a familiar? I myself have rarely even considered it." (Tatiana:) "Actually it's kinda a cute story. On my woodland patrol days, we had come across this nest of owls whose parents were killed by some local farmers. I couldn't bear to see them die of starvation without their parents so I took them in. Unfortunately I'm not that adept with animals, only one survived." "But it was better than none." "Then when I became a bard, one of the first spells I learned was how to find a familiar. When I cast the spell, I was surprised to find my pet had bonded with me. That was Tuft" (Arlon:) "I would like to have other dinners and camp fires in the days to come." (Tatiana:) "I would like that as well" (Arlon:) Arlon perks up after this. "Great! We can go flying together, it is good to practice the spell - flying can take a little getting used to. Things seemed to have calmed down around here and I would like to spend much time with you. I can help you with your current spells and show you new ones and we can have special times like this in the evening." He is nervous here - he remembers Tatiana's last reaction when he talked about Silver. "Uhhh, I'll be having dinner tomorrow with Silver; because I still owe her when I yelled at her after the battle with the natives - but I want to have the rest of the dinners with you." he smiles nervously (Tatiana:) Tatiana's smile faded slightly but returned somewhat when he mentioned more dinners. (Arlon:) Arlon's hand would have started to sweat and his eyes widen slightly as Tatiana's smile faded. Arlon really hates saying the wrong thing so he will put a lot of emotion into this next bit to show Tatiana what she means to him. "I told you about the dinner with Silver because I didn't want to hide that from you. I want you to be able to trust me, we're only beginning to get to know each other and I want to establish that trust as soon as I can. You're very special to me and I will try my best not to hurt you." (Tatiana:) Tatiana nodded her head and decided to give Arlon the benefit of the doubt. Deep down she wanted this to lead someplace special. She wasn't used to opening up, but there was something about Arlon that made her want to trust him. Silver was someone she cared about too and hated the way she was reacting. * Would you relax! * Tuft's voice interrupted her thoughts. * Silver's not gonna be chasing Arlon. She's mine! And if I find out she's fooling around, the whole forest will know. * * She's not property to be had! * * I didn't say that. I just said I had dibs. Silver and me are going flying later on tonight and I'm going to seduce her with the mating dance. * * I don't want to hear this * and she closed the mental connection (Arlon:) "I want to tell you about what happened when I disappeared in the tunnels. Now some already suspect what happened; but I am trying to keep the illusion". He talks quieter now "I have a magic ring that allows me to go invisible; so I put that on and followed the group around and waited for an opportune time to come back. I wanted some time to think and to keep a close eye on the group and that was the best way to do it. It also took away one of the focals of the bickering .. me." (Tatiana:) "I suspected as much. I thought Teleportation was a little to risky to be using in such an unfamiliar area." (Arlon:) "Several others suspected this as well, notably Falrun - he seemed to notice me moving about, and several times he seemed to goad me into reappearing." OOC: See Falrun's statements when we were just entering the blocked portion of the tunnels. "Actually I don't even have that spell yet." (Arlon:) He squeezes Tatiana's hand slightly as he says "Tatiana, you spark a fire in my heart. Your spirit is a joy to behold, and your name is like the song of the wind. We can become special friends, we share many interests and seem to be of the same spirit. You are a very special person Tatiana, I enjoy being around you very much. If it is within my power I will be there when you need me." (Tatiana:) She smiled slightly at Arlon's reassurances and squeezed his hand in return. She then smiled "And I appreciate the trust you place in me." (Arlon:) "It's actually easier than thought it would be ... it's like you're the only one here, all I see is you." he says with a WARM smile. (Tatiana:) A very big smile crosses her face and she intertwines her delicate fingers through Arlon's. She was starting to believe her feelings that Arlon liked her more than a friend and hoped her intuition was right. OOC: I assume Arlon and Tatiana have only had glancing touches so far. Flirtatious in nature but have not held hands yet. (Arlon:) "Every once in a while your mind seems busy with something else, is this when you're having a mental discussion with Tuft?" (Tatiana:) Tatiana raised her eyebrows, "You are quite perceptive" she said with admiration, "or is it that obvious?" (Arlon:) "Well perception mixed with knowledge gives great clues, I had a few friends with familiars." (Tatiana:) "Tuft and I are very closely linked, and it takes a mental effort to keep my thoughts private. He likes to be my counselor at times." she said with a smile. (Tatiana:) "Arlon?" she started "If you don't mind my asking? how old are you?" (Arlon:) "I don't mind at all. I am 183, which in human terms would put me in the early twenties. I think Falrun and Kaeyar would be considered in their late teens. Does my age bother you in anyway?" (Tatiana:) She hedged a bit afraid to reveal more of her emotions in fear of being rebuked. "Well a little, It's not your age really that bothers me, it's how much longer you'll live than me. I'll be nothing more than a fading memory to you by the time you ... in human years began to enter your 30's" The way she said this indicated she was asking something different. Intuition told Arlon, Tatiana was concerned about love between different races with different lifespans. (Arlon:) He starts to get emotional here, just a fragment ... "love is the most powerful thing, even beyond magic ..." with realization he wipes his eyes "I am sorry, I don't want to push you into anything." (Tatiana:) Tatiana nods agreement to Arlon's words and reaches out a hand to caress his face. "Even though Love is very powerful, false love is very dangerous. But then lost love a hole larger than can be filled. She pauses for a moment, "I hesitate to call this love Arlon, for we have only just started to explore our relationship, and it is still very early. But there is promise." OOC: Tatiana seems a bit embarrassed as she says this, for this is more than she ever expected to say. An outgoing and gregarious person she may be but she finds herself very shy when it comes to her own feelings. She usually ignores them. OOC: The next test for Tatiana is how Arlon and her react in public. She will want to be subtle. She is not embarrassed, just cautious of what others think. (Arlon:) "Yes, taking it slow is good, to get to know each other better. But there is nothing false about my caring for you." he says this not defensively but more as a reassurance that his feelings are real. "I do tend to project into the future a lot, and I liked what I saw with you, so you may see it some as I talk." OOC: Before the others arrive at the Tavern Tatiana reached out to touch Arlon's hand and said "Thank you very much for the dinner. I had a good time." Her touch lingered to see how Arlon was going to react. (Arlon:) He smiles wide at her touch. "You have a fine repertoire of spells, which I could add to significantly; but we should do it slow so it doesn't overwhelm you." (Tatiana:) "You don't have to do that. Don't get me wrong I'd like to, but do it only because you want to, not because you think I want it from you. I place no such restrictions on our relationship. I wouldn't want you to feel used" (Arlon:) "While I'm on the subject we could have a night flight soon, flying is exhilarating and even more so at night." he smiles. (Tatiana:) "Well I haven't really tried that spell yet. And as easy as Tuft says it is, I have my doubts that I won't crash into something" she said with a pleasant laugh. (Arlon:) "I'm sure you'll do fine." The next day, Arlon meets Silver near the Commons and invites her for a midday dinner. Silver accepts with a smile and during the dinner they start to talk of various things. And so Silver accepts Arlon's offer of dinner. Arlon has offered to buy. As they eat, Silver asks Arlon once again about magick .... (Arlon:) OOC: If you've seen the Star Wars series, this will have some similarity with Yoda's explanation of the Force. Arlon's eyes flare a darker shade of blue, (he has blue whites) as he says "In a way magic is easier to feel than explain, it surrounds and moves through everything. It is a primal force of nature and with the proper training and knowledge can be used to produce various effects. It is like we are submerged it. Mages have learned to channel or concentrate its energy. You feel a surge of energy and it seems like you are floating in it. The affects can fatigue you and make you jumpy at times - remember our first night here." (Silver:) Silver listens intently during Arlon's description of the arcane powers he uses, her food forgotten for a moment as he talks. (Arlon:) "There are dangers though, and the one I fear the most is lust. To become power hungry and evil; caring about nothing else but the magic and forgetting about its basic nature and benefit it can have for all. I am sorry to say it is uncommon to find one as powerful and kind as Mendahl. I have tried to model myself on such as him. Solarris, one of the greatest elf mages of his time, is my main inspiration. He was one of the last mages to be able to cast the Fireball spell." "Limits? As far as the energy is concerned I don't think there is one. On the individual however, there are. Spells are difficult to use, all parts of a spell need to be memorized. The more you use it the greater your ability becomes to channel the energies and you can use more in a given period. There is something interesting that happened, even before the Core Wars. Some realignment of the cosmos or something; but some limits did seem to take effect, and some spells were found to have an upper bound on the energy that could be directed, where none was before." OOC: Reference to the 1st edition rules on certain spells. I am a 1st edition enthusiast myself :) "Now tell me, what is it like being a priestess and being able to receive gifts from Mielikki." (Silver:) "Well ... as you say, the power that accompanies the gifts I receive is difficult to explain, and much easier to feel." Silver pauses, trying hard to find just the right words. "It's like, well, I feel ... Ohh, imagine a dry river bed. Now imagine the first rains of spring coming, the melting of the winter snows. See the water start to trickle down the bed, building in power, sweeping all the little imperfections before it, becoming a place of beauty where before there was only cracked earth. Now see the river as a place which was barren and now is fulfilled." She starts stressing words now, as if she is finding this is close to what she means. "The river bed is, in a way, me. I pray for each gift, but just as the rain can never be guaranteed, the gift is never given automatically. And the feeling I get with each gift is just like the water flowing down the dry river bed, sweeping all before it. And the feeling is similar to what you describe - a primal power." "Ohh, I just don't know how to explain it, for I am not quite like the dry river bed when I have not been granted a gift. But the power which courses through my body fulfills me like nothing else I have ever experienced. The thrill of actually receiving such a gift is beyond anything I can describe." Her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm at this. "It is the knowledge that She is there, caring for me. Can you believe it, Arlon, She actually *listens* to me. To *me* !! Honestly, without Her being there, without Her existence, I would indeed be as barren as a dried river bed, with no hope of renewal." "But that is just the feeling I get when I receive Her gifts." Her expression gets much more serious and thoughtful. "Much thought must be given before I ask even the smallest thing from Her, for to ask for things which are trivial or selfish would demean and sully Her gifts." "I understand what you mean about energy 'surging', but I do not understand how it tires you, for with me, each gift given renews my whole essence. It *tingles* throughout my whole body. It is incredibly sensual." At this, Silver's eyes go slightly out of focus, as if she is remembering things. Silver pauses for a while at this, and then looks intently at Arlon to see if she has expressed herself well enough for him to get an idea of what she tried to convey. (Arlon:) Arlon adds "With magic, you have to use part of yourself during the spell, and your mind is drained slightly also." (Silver:) "That is strange," Silver responds, shaking her head. "I never understood that. When I receive tangible gifts from Mielikki, I *grow* rather than diminish." (Arlon:) "The feeling only happens during the surge of power, although I hear the greater mages are more attuned to it and can slightly feel it all the time. I can also feel it most of the time; but I think that is just a natural part of my being - it does not give a charge it is just like a slight breeze every once in a while. But I think this is where a lot of the craving for the power comes - it is intense but fleeting and you may want to get it at all costs." (Silver:) "In this, then, Magick differs little from other, more mundane, powers. It seems to me that to retain control, you only need to keep in your mind the Balance, and your place in it. This frame of reference is such a small thing, yet without a sense of how things relate, you can find yourself swept along with the thrust and flow of power. Then the power lust warps and destroys. Have you ever known someone to fall into this trap ?" (Arlon:) "Sadly, yes. One of my companions in the group I felt most a part of - until now. He enjoyed the personal freedoms and doing things his own way - such as I like to do - but he viewed good and evil as just tools to do the things he wanted" OOC: describing alignment. "He started to edge toward the path of selfishness and arrogance, doing things that only had benefit for him and not caring what happened to others. In the end he totally adopted that path. In one battle the group had, he nearly cost the life of my best friends with a spell he used - which was unnecessary. I confronted him about it; but he shrugged it off. Soon after this he choose to have a 'wizards duel'." "He said he had information he wanted to discuss away from the group. When we were alone he attacked. Because of his arrogance and my alertness, I was able to foil his initial attack. Then, for what seemed to be an eternity, we tried to destroy each other. As you can see I was the 'victor'. It is something I would never want to do ag----- (Silver:) "I feel for you deeply, to have a friend turn against you. This must have caused you great sorrow, and it must be hard for you ..." Silver lays her hand on his arm at this "... to always be suspicious of others. To feel it necessary to guard against treachery. How lonely." Silver looks quite sad at this point. "It is difficult for me to understand totally, for the relationship I understand best is one which would never ... be destroyed the way yours was with this arrogant companion of yours." (Silver:) OOC: I tried to get this right, but don't think I quite wrote what I actually meant. But then Silver wouldn't have been able to find quite the right words, either 8-) (Arlon:) OOC: Yeah, I know it can be tough to explain things. I didn't write exactly the way I wanted to either; but you did a good job. It is funny to me since you say you are not religious; because in many ways you describe what a Christian feels (or should). Except the river is never dry, although the person can dam the river if they choose - yes I am a Christian. You are doing a good job with Silver. (Silver:) OOC: I work with a lot of Christians, and have tried to understand what drives and motivates their belief. Glad I've got it about right on the caring side of things. (Arlon:) OOC: I'm glad that they have portrayed themselves that way. (Silver:) Suddenly, Silver remembers something else, and once more, Silver becomes excited at what she is about to say "But Arlon ! The biggest thrill of all was when She allowed me to take another form !" Silver grips Arlon's arm, continuing "It is the most intimate gift She has ever bestowed upon me, one which I still do not comprehend fully. But ... to take flight ! to *be* another ! It is quite beyond ..." she pauses, looking into Arlon's blue-white eyes "... but you already know this, for I have seen you change form yourself." Curiously, she asks "Do you actually *become* what you appear to be ? Or is it just your appearance that changes ?" (Arlon:) "There are some spells that just give an outward appearance. The spell I used allows me to take the physical form of a creature. When I became a Merman, I could breathe underwater if necessary. I enjoy it also; but it is something that takes much time for study." (Silver:) "Hmm. A lot of study ? That is strange" she frowns slightly, then brightens "Or, perhaps not ...." (Arlon:) "That is why we need to rest so much, the more you use the more you need to rest. Before you can use a spell you have to study it, and study it after each time you use it - if you want to use it again. Depending on your natural ability you can hold a number of spells in memory; but the skill level limits how much you can do in a given period. Fortunately I have been blessed with much natural ability. (Silver:) "And with the wisdom to use it wisely ... and, more importantly, when *not* to use it" Silver smiles at Arlon. (Arlon:) The mage life can be lonely because of this, and the more you grow in it the lonelier it can become. I am finding out that it is important to have good friends, even for one such as me." He smiles warmly at Silver. (Silver:) "For one 'such as you' ?" Silver cocks her head to one side. (Arlon:) "Actually what I meant was; because of events in my past and the bond I felt with magic, I always felt comfortable alone. But now I see a better way." again he smiles at Silver. (Silver:) "Perhaps it is just that those you have met in the past have seen only the power that you wield, and not the true soul beneath. Power blinds not only those that use it, but those that witness and covet it, as well." Silver's voice lightens as she says "But I should not preach on matters of human nature, for it is too complex to deal with lightly. And I am not an expert." She chuckles. Silver then says "You know, Arlon, this is *nice*" as, with sort of feline movements, she 'snuggles down' in her chair, cradling her wine goblet. (Arlon:) "I do envy you, having a divine relationship, someone you know is always there and always cares." (Silver:) Silver is quite relaxed now, and this comes across in her voice. But you can still tell what she is saying is of vital importance to her. "Ohh, Arlon. The divine relationship is there for *all* to share. Mielikki does not require hours of devotion, just a fresh, new way of viewing the world. How to explain better ?" She pauses, in thought for a moment, then continues ... "Arlon. Let me take you to a glade some way out of the village, and there I shall show you a vision of such beauty and majesty. And once you have seen the beauty that exists in the world where no man has touched, then you may start to see our true place in things. And when you know that, and our relationship with Mielikki, then you will feel Her embrace." She looks intensely at Arlon, saying "But do not think I am preaching, dear friend. Just come and see the beauty of this place ..." (Arlon:) "I would be delighted to see this glade that you have found!" For a while, they talked of matters with little importance. Then Arlon changes the subject (Arlon:) "You had an unpleasant childhood ...." (Silver:) Silver frowns at this, moving back a little, nodding slightly. She relaxes, though, as Arlon continues. (Arlon:) ".... it really annoys me when those things happen. Even though my village was beset by evil hoards of orcs, kobolds etc.. it was for the most part pleasant. It gave me a sense of responsibility to help others in need and to fight evil. I have let it slip a couple of times that I am called 'The Avenger'. It is my nature to defend and avenge those that are in need or have been wronged. It has gotten me into trouble though. I remember the ogre camp ... stupid..stupid." Arlon's eyes glaze over and his head drops down as he seems to drift away. (Silver:) "Ohh, Arlon !" Silver says softly, with great concern apparent on her face. She reaches out and touches his cheek gently. "Something pains you about this. And it sounds as though others must have been hurt as well. Would it pain you more to talk ?" (Arlon:) Arlon lifts his head back up "My best friend I told you briefly about previously was a valiant warrior. He was killed on one of our excursions. He would tell me about his town - it had a problem with ogres. The ogres would demand payment in exchange for leaving the town alone. During the Core Wars this town had been destroyed by an evil mage; so now they really didn't care for mages. It took a while for my friend and I to actually become friends because of that. Without any magical backing the town had to give into the ogres, even though the town was large. Priests were even looked at with suspicion! After my friend (Rimmer) was killed and since I didn't much care for ogres, I went to his home town to see if I could help. I scouted the ogres camp for several days. I also got to know some of Rimmer's old friends; but I concealed I was a mage." "From the scouting I thought I could handle the ogres. There were only a couple of buildings and I thought I made a good estimate of how many ogres there could be. I was wrong. Two things went wrong - there must have been an underground complex, with the entrance inside the buildings; but the most surprising thing was a larger, blue skinned ogre that emerged and was able to use magic! I was able to destroy about half of them; but because of my poor estimates and the blue ogre, I could not finish them all off. My spells were depleted and I could not get close enough to effectively use some items. I had to flee and warn the town that the ogres were coming. Since I flew into town they knew I was a mage, and probably would have tried to kill me if the ogres weren't coming." "The town was almost ruined in the ensuing battle; because of the fewer number of ogres the town was 'victorious' - but at high cost. The blue ogre fled and I had to leave - which is how I got here. A little sooner than I would have. I probably would have come here at some time because of its newness; but it would have been under better circumstances." Arlon then sighs heavily. (Silver:) Silver listens throughout Arlon's description of the battle with the Ogres, and the sad result. When he sighs at the end, she says "It must weigh heavily on you, to have misjudged such a critical situation. You pride yourself on making the right decisions. Is this failure to judge the situation correctly the largest part of what hurts you so ? Please don't take this the wrong way ... I don't mean to re-open old wounds, but to understand you better." (Arlon:) "At the time it was. The long boat ride we had, allowed me to think more on it. What hurts the most now is what that misjudgment cost others. I have dedicated myself to fight evil and protect others in need; what happened then was almost a total reversal of that. I know some things can't be foreseen and things can be hidden well enough to fool the best; but what I did had a little more to do with getting praise then getting rid of the ogres. Pride ... another of the dangers, combined with the power lust, blinds you and you can't see the edge before you fall off. This I find to be the true power - friends and or your special relationship - something there to pull you back and open your eyes." (Silver:) Silver nods understandingly, and seems to react very strongly to what Arlon is saying. (Arlon:) "For the most part I've been better off alone, I was with several groups; but usually not very long. I've been able to reflect long and hard on that and I can see a better path. I think I found it here with all of you." (Silver:) When Arlon finishes, Silver is quiet for a while, then looks with great compassion at Arlon. "I do understand, Arlon. I too, have made mistakes in judgment which have had ... tragic results. It was not pride that blinded me, but love." Thoughtful for a moment, she shakes her head and smiles "Anyway, enough of old ghosts, eh ? Let us enjoy this time, rejoice in this land of opportunities !" (Arlon:) "Yes, many opportunities in quantity and variety. Maybe we could go flying together sometime. It seems we have some time on our hands." He smiles. (Silver:) "I would love to fly with you, Arlon. It is a sensation which I never fail to enjoy. The wonderful freedom you feel !" (Arlon:) "Along those lines, when do I get to see this glade ?" (Silver:) "Well, how about tomorrow night ? Midnight has a special significance to me, and the forest takes on a whole new character at night. What say we fly out tomorrow evening - or perhaps the evening after - and spend the night becoming one with the forest. When dawn breaks, we could return." (Arlon:) "Uhh, that would be great Silver; but if you don't mind I would like to ask Tatiana to join us. She seems to get slightly upset when I mention I'm going somewhere with you. I know that you two have a special relationship building and I don't want to hurt that; it may bring complications later on. I'm trying to build a trust base with her. Plus she needs to practice her flying" he smiles. "Since the druids and elves share similar philosophies, it's only natural we spend time together and I don't want Tatiana threatened by it but to understand it." "It may sound like we have a serious relationship; but we don't, at least not yet. I think she's very special, an elven maiden would be hard pressed to be like her." "Speaking of old ghosts, do you think we should talk with Keilan? It seems that you and myself have a deep feeling about him." (Silver:) "Yes, quite right. He might even want to join us on our night excursion. Where is he ?" (Arlon:) "I think we should know what the others thoughts are on Keilan before we find him; so we are not surprised by what the others say." (Silver:) Silver looks confused at this. "Why should it matter, Arlon ? Surely our visit to the glade would only be of interest to those who love the forest ... or who wish to experience peace. Regardless of the trip to the glade, why should anyone object to us talking to Keilan and asking him to join us. Though, I must say" at this she giggles "I will look forward to his reaction when we suggest *flying* to the glade !" (Arlon:) "Sorry, I didn't explain it right - what I meant was that it may be good if the *two of us* knew what *each other* was thinking in regards to Keilan. I didn't mean the rest of the group." (Silver:) "Oh, sorry" says Silver with a sheepish look on her face. "Right. Umm. Well, I know I can trust him to speak his mind truthfully" she adds, with a slight smirk. "And, he *does* care for people. A lot." (Arlon:) OOC: I guess we could make this flight a double date :) ... I wonder if Keilan has ever flown. (Silver:) OOC: No, Keilan's never flown, but I don't think he's *particularly* averse to it. But about the double date - hmmm. Silver has ideas in directions other than Keilan, although ... 8-) (Arlon:) OOC: Now I'm intrigued! (Silver:) Pushing her finished meal to one side and placing her empty wine glass on the table, she makes as if to stand and says to Arlon "Lets go and find him. I'd like to talk to him once more, now that circumstances are a little more ... relaxed." Silver looks inquiringly at Arlon, and waits for him to move off in search of Keilan. (Arlon:) "I hope he is close by, otherwise it may be very difficult to find him. I also hope he agrees - he does trust you a lot more than anyone else though." (Silver:) As Arlon and Silver walk out into the streets of Dark Haven to find Keilan, Silver continues her thoughts on Keilan. "I don't know his reasons for coming here, to this new land. I feel a need to understand him. I have known people like him before, who have taken to wandering because they are desperately unhappy or lonely with their life. I would like to understand his pain and lessen it if possible." Silver then looks to Arlon with an hopeful expression. OOC: Silver explicitly omits any reference to the Arlon/Keilan disagreement earlier. (Arlon:) "Yes, I know what you mean Silver. I 'feel' the anger in him" he rubs his stomach but smiles. (Silver:) One corner of Silver's mouth lifts in a sort of sympathetic smile. (Arlon:) "And anger will also drive a person toward loneliness; but more dreadful - it can tear a person up and eat away at them. This was a big reason my mage 'friend' I told you about, turned on me. Anger he had to share power with someone else. Of course greed also played a key role which, thankfully, Keilan doesn't have. But once you start to do something, it becomes easier the next time - as you saw in the caves it was easy for him to strike me. Only after he saw the consequence of that action did he regret it - which is a good sign in a way; but things may not be so 'easily' smoothed over the next time. What if he does something like that to an official here!" (Silver:) "Hmm. I see what you mean. But then, some 'officials' deserve such treatment. If they warrant respect, as I am sure they do, then I feel that Keilan will give them just that. But if they are full of pompous self-importance, without any feeling for others, then ...." Silver pauses and shrugs her shoulders. She had started speaking in a harsh tone of voice which was quite unlike her. (Arlon:) "I gave him my magical staff ..." (Silver:) Silver raises her eyebrows, and nods at Arlon in a surprised but thoughtful way. (Arlon:) "... because I wanted to show him that he can have a friend in me and that I would hold no grudge. I feel he needs to release that anger, in a more constructive way, or replace it. It's been a part of him for a long time and I don't think he'll ever be totally rid of it; so as friends we need to help him however we can." OOC: Wow, does Arlon know how to shoot off at the mouth :) (Silver:) After Arlon talks about his thoughts towards Keilan, Silver asks in a nonchalant tone "And how did your meal with 'Ana go last night ? I haven't seen her around so far today." (Arlon:) "We had a very nice time last night and we got to know each other a little more. This morning we talked about magic and as a matter of fact, about practicing flying; so that flight to the glade would be perfect for that." (Silver:) "Good" says Silver, nodding at Arlon as he continues. (Arlon:) "You know Silver, I was actually first attracted to you with your hair and knowledge of the woodlands ..." (Silver:) Silver seems honestly taken aback at this , but before she can say anything, Arlon continues .... (Arlon:) "... but as I told you - Tatiana makes my heart pound fast with her passion for life and her love of the ancient. It's like she fills a void that was in me." OOC: It doesn't seem like Arlon is at all secretive about his feelings or how things went. (Silver:) "Ohh, Arlon." A mixture of emotions flash across Silver's face, but fairly quickly coalesce into a brilliant smile, and she says "That's *wonderful*" and she links her arm with Arlon's. (Arlon:) "Let's find Keilan." (Silver:) "Right !" and the pair set off towards the market area. On the way to the 'Wide', Silver thinks back to what Arlon told her of the mages duel, and says "Evil mages. What little history I know seems to feature them so much. I have never known a druid to fall off the path. Perhaps you have heard tales of this happening some time ago. It is something I would like to hear of, if you have such a tale to tell." (Arlon:) "The evil ones tend to have a big part in history because of the destruction they cause. As far as any druids falling off the path; I don't really know of any. Although from what I understand, the druid society is a more or less closed one and I would think the leaders would tend to hide or cover up such incidents. I don't mean to insult your ways, this is just what information I have picked up in my studies and travels. Tatiana would probably have a better idea on this subject though." (Keilan:) Keilan can be found outdoors in the market spending more than a few coins on fresh meat to eat and some more lasting provisions from the various stands. He also has purchased a few trinkets and odds and ends. You know he accepted the offer of bronze chain mail from Mindak, but he is wearing neither that nor his own leather. Rather Keilan is dressed in new clothes more suited to the hot environment. Mostly Keilan just seems to be wandering about looking at the local sights since it's been busy up til now. (Silver:) Silver and Arlon are walking along, arm in arm, talking to each other. Occasionally, one or the other will laugh at the other's comments. They seem to have some purpose about their journey, because even as they talk, they look about at the crowds in the market area of Dark Haven. Suddenly, Silver spies Keilan at a stall. Nudging Arlon, she calls out "Keilan ! Keilan !" and waves at the Ranger to attract his attention. Arlon and Silver make their way through the crowd towards Keilan, and Silver smiles at the Ranger in a warm manner as they approach. (Keilan:) Keilan waves to the two of you as you approach. He drops a couple of coins to a merchant and receives a sizzling piece of meat on a spit. "Devil Deer," he explains as you approach. Munching rapidly he listens to the respective comments. (Arlon:) As Silver and Arlon approach Keilan, Silver is smiling and Arlon holds up his hand. "Ho there! Keilan. How does the day find you? Looking for anything special?" (Keilan:) "No. Just looking. But you should try the deer. It has a good strong flavor. Much more robust than any venison I've had before." (Arlon:) "Maybe later, I still haven't acquired much of a taste for the darker meats; but it does look tasty." (Arlon:) OOC: This next bit will be in the elven language - it doesn't mean anything to the post; but just staying in character - this is something that is more private for Keilan, Silver and Arlon and not the general public. Arlon will be watching for Keilan's reaction as he talks, Arlon has a slight assumption that Keilan may be a little defensive when he hears this and hopes Silvers presence will calm that. (Arlon: In Elvish) "Silver and I would like to have a chat with you; it's just a friendly chat so we can get to know each other better - plus Silver found an excellent spot for us to relax and talk. Why don't I let Silver tell you about it." He then looks to Silver. (Keilan:) Keilan raises an eyebrow and gulps down the last of his venison when Arlon defers the conversation to Silver. (Silver:) Silver responds, in an apologetic tone "Umm, Arlon, could you speak a little slower when you speak Elvish, as it is so long since I have practiced it, I have become a little rusty, and find it sometimes difficult to follow." Deftly inserting her arm in Keilan's she walks along the street with both Arlon and Keilan, towards the nearest tavern. Realizing that both are waiting for her to continue, her expression brightens and she starts speaking with enthusiasm (and a bad accent) "Keilan, I have found this simply *wonderful* place. It's absolutely *perfect*. It is a glade, some little way out of town, beyond the safe zone. The beauty, and simplicity, of this place is almost beyond words. The peace it exudes and the wonders that exist there filled me with delight." Silver has a far-away look in her eyes, and she is smiling radiantly. Silver had stopped walking while she tried to describe what she has seen. Now she continues walking as she says "I thought that ..." and she now focuses back on Keilan "... those of us who can truly appreciate such a haven ... or those that want to try ... could travel to this place tomorrow evening, when the moon becomes full." She looks at Keilan, with a concerned expression, as if she has other things to say but is waiting for a response before she continues. (Keilan:) "The full moon? Might that be one of Mielikki's symbols?" (Silver:) Silver seems taken aback and rather pleased at Keilan's comment. "Yes, that's right, Keilan. It is. But I suppose the reason I suggested nighttime was not particularly because of my devotions, but for a much simpler reason - I adore the forest at night." "But, umm, the glade is some way out of the safe zone, and so we might have to be ... creative in the way we travel there." Silver pauses, looking for the right way to say this. "Keilan, part of what I like about you is the way you ... keep both feet firmly on the ground. Well, we sort of thought that we would travel to the glade by ... sort of ... flying." Silver meant to be much more eloquent and persuasive when she made the suggestion of flying, but her expression shows that she realizes she didn't do too well. She awaits a comment from Keilan and/or Arlon. (Keilan): "Hmmm ... I do not know how to 'sort of ... fly' as you put it. What you mean is that one of you will carry me bodily through the air perhaps to this special glade?" Keilan's tone is very noncommittal. (Silver:) Silver looks at Arlon to answer this .... (Arlon:) "Actually we were thinking of casting a fly spell on you, it shouldn't be too much of a problem for you to get used to it" he smiles. "Plus it's a great way to travel - fast also." (Keilan:) "Hmmm, I always liked horseback for traveling. I've only tried magical transport once. Rather unnerving experience. First you're standing in a dwarven meeting hall and then you're atop a mountain leagues away. If I'd had my choice I'd have climbed it myself. I'll have to think about your offer. Silver is right. I do like to keep my feet in the ground." (Silver:) After Keilan replies to Arlon's offer of flight, Silver leans over and whispers something to Keilan, then steps back a little. (Silver to Keilan:) "Keil, the only reason I suggested flying was that we would not be traveling alone, but a small group of us together. Imagine what some of our friends would do to unspoilt forest, albeit by accident, if they were to attempt to _walk_ there ! I do not doubt that you and I would leave no trace, but some of the others ...." (Arlon:) As Silver whispers to Keilan, one of Arlon's eyebrows lifts and he waits for Keilan's reaction. (Keilan:) After Silver's whisperings, he says "But I thought it was just the three of us going? Or do you mean *him*?" (indicating Arlon) (Silver:) OOC: There are just three of us here (Keilan, Arlon, Silver). No-one else has been mentioned. Did you mean to say "I thought it was just the *two* of us going ?" (Keilan:) OOC: Meaning: 'Is Arlon the one you fear to walk through the unspoilt forest?' (Silver:) OOC: I see ! That's what you get for rolling poorly on INT. (Arlon:) Arlon now has a, sort of surprised look on his face. Then he looks at Silver quizzically, hands just out in front palms up: "What??!" (Silver:) Silver turns to look at Arlon, casting a critical eye from his blue-white eyes down to his booted feet. (Arlon:) OOC: Arlon is starting to get, not really annoyed - he is more or less wondering what is being talked about and since it seems he is the main subject of the 'secret' conversation. As Silver looks over Arlon his frustration level breaks a little - he then almost shouts: "WHAT?!?!?!" (Silver:) Silver continues looking over Arlon, but before turning back to Keilan winks at Arlon with a mischievous smile. She obviously realizes how frustrated he is getting. With a start she realizes she is taller than both of her colleagues. After careful consideration, she turns back to Keilan and says "Well, I _have_ known some clumsy elves .... well, only one actually ..." she says with a smirk (Arlon:) A little miffed now ... "EXCUSE ME! WHO'S CLUMSY?! Agility is my middle name, one of them anyway - would someone tell me what in Nirvana is going on." (Silver:) Silver turns slowly back to Arlon, barely suppressing a chuckle, and says with a slight hint of (good-natured) sarcasm "Mr. Agility ? Not the same Mr. Agility who almost fell over when he arrived back with the party in the Mines by misjudging his magick ?" (Arlon:) Arlon starts to notice Silver's 'playful' attitude and he lightens up. "Hey, it could have been much worse; but agility has nothing to do with the spell - if it did I could have arrived on Keilan's shoulders." smiling (Keilan:) "Yes, yes, the agility would have been tested when I dumped you on your ass." Keilan is enjoying the same playful tone as the others. (Arlon:) Chuckling, he replies "Ahh, but I would have sitting there gracefully." (Silver:) Silver is having a difficult time keeping a straight face at the mental picture of Arlon arriving on Keilan's shoulders. Attempting, but not quite succeeding, to be serious once more, she turns once more to Keilan, saying "but no, I was thinking of others that may join us on the trip. For Arlon has suggested that Tatiana, at least, would also enjoy the experience." Pausing for a moment, she adds firmly "_I_ would fly there, and I would enjoy company on the journey ..." (Arlon:) "I can be ready whenever, I just have to tell Tatiana." he also says firmly. (Silver:) Nodding at Arlon, she turns to Keilan and says "Well, Keil ? What do you say ?" (Keilan:) "Just how far is 'some way' outside the Zone? A league? Two?" (Silver:) "Oh, I would say that since we have been told the edge of the zone is a day's travel on foot from here, the zone lies half again as far." She frowns, adding "As for how many leagues, I find it so difficult to judge distances from the air." (Keilan:) "Come to think of it, how do you know of this place?" (Silver:) Silver smiles a little sheepishly. "Ahh. Now you have me. I found it the night before last, when we emerged from the mines. I went off on my own, just for the joy of being out of the mines safely. And there it was." "As to how I actually found it, perhaps I was guided there, perhaps I stumbled upon it by accident. All I know is that it sort of 'fits in place' as if I knew it was there all along, yet had never actually seen it before." OOC: For some reason Silver is not explaining things very well at the moment. Keilan and Arlon will both notice this. (Keilan:) "Very well, Silver. I will try this flying business. Though I would prefer if you cast the enchantment, Silver. I trust one who is granted magic from the gods more than those who wield it by hook or crook." (Arlon:) After Keilan says he prefers Silver's magic, Arlon seems just slightly annoyed but it doesn't last long as he understands Keilan's statement. "Uhh, you might not have much choice in that respect, I have never known the gods to grant the flying power. I think Silver's ability is beyond spells." He then looks to Silver for perhaps, a better answer. (Silver:) Silver looks at Keilan very sympathetically. "I would be more than glad to share the power I am blessed with, my dear friend. However, I do not have any knowledge of how to bestow such a gift upon others. This matter of flying is of a much more ... personal nature" at this, Silver blushes quite noticeably, "than the other gifts which are channeled through me from Mielikki." "But I would trust Arlon to channel his mysterious force wisely, and it is by his arts that you and others may fly to the glade." Silver looks to Arlon to confirm this, and then adds as an afterthought "Either that, or I seem to remember that Kaeyar has a potion which apparently achieves the same thing." (Keilan:) "Very well. Though I doubt the wisdom of men to do what the gods will not." (Arlon:) "Excellent. Don't worry Keilan, I have flown (sp?) many times and without mishap. It will be fine. I'll go tell Tatiana." And so the decision is made that a group of friends will visit the glade that Silver found the next evening. They go their separate ways. However, later on during the current afternoon .... (Silver:) After the discussion with Arlon about traveling to the glade, Silver went seeking Keilan once more. Once more, he was fairly easy to find. "Hello again, Keilan" Silver said casually. "The glade I have found really is something special, Keilan. Back home, there were not many unspoilt areas that I knew of. I only hope that we don't intrude too much on the spirit of the forest." She continues on, saying "There, in the glade, you will see Mielikki at Her finest. There, I can show you the beauty of the small and the beauty of the large living in harmony, in balance." "But I am thinking back to our ... reluctant ... venture underground. You told me briefly of Hope. We have more time now, perhaps you could tell me more of her ?" she inquires. (Keilan:) "Ahh, yes. Hope is my youngest sister. She should be reaching eighteen years soon. She is very much like you, though she serves no god or goddess. It has been more than a year since I saw her last. Hope is a dreamer. At least that what my father calls her. She is always daydreaming of faraway kingdoms with shining knights who would make her a lady. Hope is kind and gentle with never a harsh word for any. And too she loves nature. That trait at least seems to run in my family. She can feed a doe from her hand and stroke its fur at a first meeting. Father is always trying to get her married off to some rich man's son, but Hope has never had much time for boys. She loves her flowers and pets too much to be bothered with men. Not that I'd have wished her to marry any of the clods who courted her. Hope is too good for most of them. I wish I could go back to see her again" (Silver:) Silver is caught up in Keilan's description of home, and his fondness for his sister. "She sounds wonderful, Keilan. And happy too. To have grown up with a brother who loved her as you do." Silver looks wistful for a moment, then says curiously "But why can't you go back to see her and your other sisters, Keilan ? Why have you come so far away from your family ? I don't mean to pry, but it just seems strange ..." (Keilan:) Keilan looks very sad and serious as Silver asks why he cannot return. "I cannot go back now. It may be that I will never see my home again. Here in this wild land I am safe from the 'civilized' world and its people. If I were to return, especially to my home, I would be killed and quite possibly my family as well. I had no choice but to disappear to this far shore." (Silver:) Great concern is evident on Silver's face. "By Mielikki ! This seems incredible ! What possibly could have happened to have caused such a devastating dilemma for you ?". Before Keilan could answer, she interrupted. "But take care, Keilan. Please tell me only if you wish to share this problem. I will respect any confidence you place in me, but if you would rather keep it hidden, then I will not press you further. I have learnt recently that to share such experiences can be quite ... traumatic." She smiles gently and encouragingly at Keilan, waiting for a response. (Keilan:) "It is not a problem, Silver, to be solved. It is cold fact. If I were to return I would be hanged or worse. And it would perhaps be a deserved fate, but I still do not wish to face it. One life for another, is fine and well until it is your own life that hangs in the balance." (Silver:) Silver seems both shocked and concerned at this. "So this ... thing ... that you have done is what prevents you returning to your family. Are you destined to exile for the rest of your days, then ? Is there none here among those you count friends that may help ? Even so far as letting your family know you are safe ?" After a while, Silver says "And you seem ..." her voice trails off. She tries again. "It does seem that you hold great bitterness at the injustice of your exile, and rightly so. If you think it may help, then I am always here if you need to talk. And if there is any way in which I could ease your pain ..." (Keilan:) Keilan's voice loses much of its softness as he says: "I killed a man who very much deserved to die, but I did not consider the consequences. He stood there torturing a helpless fox caught in one of his traps. Taunting it and killing it slowly with a spear. It's not even as though the fox harmed his trade. He was a bear trapper. I could not contain myself as I watched and slew him with an arrow through his throat. It turned out that the man was wealthy, a baron I think. And no small effort was made to catch me. 'Ere boarding the ship bound here I left a false trail making it look as though I had gone north to the frozen lands. A true friend of mine took word to my family that I was safe, but that I might never return. The fox...he didn't make it." (Silver:) During Keilan's story of exile, Silver's eyes widen at the picture of the fox being tormented while caught in the trap. "Your tale is _so_ sad, Keilan" she says, touching his arm as she does so. "You, at least, had the conviction and strength to give his corrupted soul a quick release." Silver shakes her head gently, saying "To have acted as you did and then to suffer exile seems so unjust. And though it must be little comfort to you, remember that final justice is in the hands of the Gods." Silver assumes this last part about "Justice with the Gods" will not have much impact on Keilan, but says it with feeling anyway - much like she's saying "Sorry". She brings out her silver owl pendant and holds it carefully. She lowers her eyes as if ashamed, and then she says in a forced whisper, as if this is very hard for her, "Keilan, you are not alone. In the past I, too, took the life of ..." She is having extreme problems saying what she wants to. She takes a deep breath and says (although not to Keilan) "No, Jelka, it is still not time." Looking back up at Keilan, he can see she has tears in her eyes. "I am sorry, my friend. It is still too painful for me to tell everyone. I had thought that talking about it to Falrun might ease the pain. That time might dull the raw edge. But no, I was wrong." A sad smile. She lets her silver owl pendant drop back.