Funeris
First Post
Chapter 2: Journey into Darkness Continued
Lady Rowen’s eyes flickered open. Her sight and mind were both blurry, one from sleep the other from dream. A quick shake had roused her consciousness from the thick webs of her subconscious. Her vision cleared and she could see Cassock crouched nearby. Vivid streams of fading red backlit the priest.
“What do you want priest?” Ana whined as she rolled over.
“I want to offer you my thanks. If you hadn’t done what you did, I wouldn’t be here now. I thank Cael that you chose the right potion.” Cassock paused, glancing upward and watching the sky shift hues. “We’ll need to leave soon. I let you all rest as long as possible. But if we don’t leave soon, the trail may grow too cold.”
And stood and lifted her traveling pack back over her shoulders. “Fine. Let’s get going then.”
A quarter of an hour later, the party was delving back into the forest.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the next day’s sun rose above the low-lying eastern mountain range, the party stood on the edge of a smoothed stone foundation. White marble, aged by time and weather, stretched ahead to a tall white marble wall. A thick, short wall crafted from deep green marble, wrapped around the foundation. The green wall split roughly within its center, allowing a small stream to flow across the stone. From the center of the stream sprouted a large oak.
The wall across the stone courtyard stretched ten feet into the air where it was swallowed by a vibrant green hedge. One carved doorway pierced the thick white wall. The opening was a gaping maw of darkness leading into a corridor overshadowed by the hedge.
As a group, the party moved cautiously in the early morning sun. The hedge stretched away from the wall to either side. The party encircled the hedge, noting its massive domed height. The plants created a gigantic enclosure impenetrable by vision. They finished a walk around half an hour into the morning before sitting down upon the marble courtyard.
“What’s that?” Gabrielle was pointing toward the green marble wall. There, etched in a faint white hue, two sets of script danced upon the deep green. Cassock and Anastrianna moved across the courtyard, bending near the writing.
“I don’t know this writing,” Cassock pointed toward the flowing script upon the right. “This other though is common Saläexum.”
“Yes, I know,” Ana stated. “The other script looks Phoeeum. It makes sense really. You figure a hedge like that must have some link to the druids.”
“True. But see how it was been scored out. Someone was here after the druids.” Cassock turned to interpret the other writing. “Son-of-a…You can read this right?” The priest threw his hands up in frustration.
Ana bent over and read the script.
“Never trust a Priest of Ara’Kull,” sighed Cassock.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]: 20th is the day; Luma is the third month of the summer (there are four) and is generally consider the hottest of the months; Nor is the fourth day of the week (each week having eight days; Arum is the current Ara’Kull-accepted term for the summer season.
Just as a further clarifying aside, months have 6 weeks…and as of Ara’Kull’s rule, each year has 15 months (which accounts for the extra month within the summer season). Originally (i.e. before Toq Arma became King and therefore before Ara’Kull established his divine foothold), a year had 12 months of a varying number of days.
I came up with a lot, a lot of information before I actually threw these characters into the game. I hope it improves the story.
Lady Rowen’s eyes flickered open. Her sight and mind were both blurry, one from sleep the other from dream. A quick shake had roused her consciousness from the thick webs of her subconscious. Her vision cleared and she could see Cassock crouched nearby. Vivid streams of fading red backlit the priest.
“What do you want priest?” Ana whined as she rolled over.
“I want to offer you my thanks. If you hadn’t done what you did, I wouldn’t be here now. I thank Cael that you chose the right potion.” Cassock paused, glancing upward and watching the sky shift hues. “We’ll need to leave soon. I let you all rest as long as possible. But if we don’t leave soon, the trail may grow too cold.”
And stood and lifted her traveling pack back over her shoulders. “Fine. Let’s get going then.”
A quarter of an hour later, the party was delving back into the forest.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the next day’s sun rose above the low-lying eastern mountain range, the party stood on the edge of a smoothed stone foundation. White marble, aged by time and weather, stretched ahead to a tall white marble wall. A thick, short wall crafted from deep green marble, wrapped around the foundation. The green wall split roughly within its center, allowing a small stream to flow across the stone. From the center of the stream sprouted a large oak.
The wall across the stone courtyard stretched ten feet into the air where it was swallowed by a vibrant green hedge. One carved doorway pierced the thick white wall. The opening was a gaping maw of darkness leading into a corridor overshadowed by the hedge.
As a group, the party moved cautiously in the early morning sun. The hedge stretched away from the wall to either side. The party encircled the hedge, noting its massive domed height. The plants created a gigantic enclosure impenetrable by vision. They finished a walk around half an hour into the morning before sitting down upon the marble courtyard.
“What’s that?” Gabrielle was pointing toward the green marble wall. There, etched in a faint white hue, two sets of script danced upon the deep green. Cassock and Anastrianna moved across the courtyard, bending near the writing.
“I don’t know this writing,” Cassock pointed toward the flowing script upon the right. “This other though is common Saläexum.”
“Yes, I know,” Ana stated. “The other script looks Phoeeum. It makes sense really. You figure a hedge like that must have some link to the druids.”
“True. But see how it was been scored out. Someone was here after the druids.” Cassock turned to interpret the other writing. “Son-of-a…You can read this right?” The priest threw his hands up in frustration.
Ana bent over and read the script.
This den of false realities has been purged of its vile untruths. The worshippers of the false goddess Mialon have all been executed in accordance with our Lord Ara’Kull’s commandment. The hedged temple has been reduced to nothing but ash and cinder. This act of complete devotion was completed on the 20th of Luma, a Nor in the Arum [1], in the year 553.
- Priest Tobus Matlick, Inquisitor of the First Order
“Never trust a Priest of Ara’Kull,” sighed Cassock.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]: 20th is the day; Luma is the third month of the summer (there are four) and is generally consider the hottest of the months; Nor is the fourth day of the week (each week having eight days; Arum is the current Ara’Kull-accepted term for the summer season.
Just as a further clarifying aside, months have 6 weeks…and as of Ara’Kull’s rule, each year has 15 months (which accounts for the extra month within the summer season). Originally (i.e. before Toq Arma became King and therefore before Ara’Kull established his divine foothold), a year had 12 months of a varying number of days.
I came up with a lot, a lot of information before I actually threw these characters into the game. I hope it improves the story.
Last edited: