Crucible of Faith ~ Chapter 1

[silentspace]

Pumbar rushes back to the Winged Human, but a little slower due to Xuxia's urging. Arriving back at the gates, Pumbar says, "Good news, Sir Winged Knight! They might have Halfling Berry Pie on Market Street, at the Halfling's Burrow! Let us go seek that out and finish our Quest!"

Strange, the Winged Knight isn't as excited about the news as I thought he might be...

"Er, and we also located the Ethereal Pantheon," adds Xuxia, nudging Pumbar.

"Oh that! Yeah, it's Paladin Tiriak's brother-in-law's place," Pumbar says, clearly not interested in that bit of trivia, and not bothering to explain who Paladin Tiriak is to the big Winged Human.

 

[Cannibal_Kender]

Amara will accept the invitation and sit down to listen about Mystra.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

Amara will accept the invitation and sit down to listen about Mystra.

You will learn that Mystra is the Goddess of Magic for this Prime, and that she is widely worshipped by those humans who use arcane magics and some few of the other races. She is benevolent and wise, according to the gnome, and maintaining the balance of magic and it's use is one of the main functions of the clergy. You suspect that some of what the cleric is telling you may be her own view on the church's dogma, but the core is most likely true. The first 15 minutes of lecture seem to be all told in one breath, interrupted only by the arrival of the meal that the two (three, actually, as you notice a pseudodragon peeking out of a pocket on the second gnome's vest).

As the plates and glasses are set down on the table (the waitress even sets one where the pseudodragon could reach it), the cleric stops and smiles. "Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't introduce myself - my name is Miria, and this is my new friends, Quillia and the Stormblood, the Far Flyer, the Red Arrow with No Bow." She recites the titles as if they had been memorized. She smiles at all three of you proudly.

"Oh, but do you have any questions about Mystra? I'm afraid that I haven't given you a chance to say anything! I have a bad habit of doing that, my mentor at the temple always says that I need to slow down and allow other people to speak up and that I don't always need to say everything - I should think of other's feelings too."

 

[Keia]

Durindal si'Tempus Half Celestial Pal/Ftr/Rog/Sor/Tmp

Durindal was a bit startled at the way the trio had darted off, and a little amazed at their boundless energy. He thought it might be good to interact with someone not so interested in war, and fighting. While waiting, Durindal checked over his weapons and equipment, staying out of the way of passers by.

Arriving back at the gates, Pumbar says, "Good news, Sir Winged Knight! They might have Halfling Berry Pie on Market Street, at the Halfling's Burrow! Let us go seek that out and finish our Quest!"

"Umm . . . ," Durindal started to speak about his quest, but . . .

"Er, and we also located the Ethereal Pantheon," adds Xuxia, nudging Pumbar. "Oh that! Yeah, it's Paladin Tiriak's brother-in-law's place," Pumbar says. . .

"Well, that is excellent news, then," Durindal spoke with some relief. "Perhaps we could get some halfling berry pie before you show me to the Ethereal Pantheon Inn."

 

[Cannibal_Kender]

Amara will introduce herself to the two gnomes and pseudodragon. "I am Amara Sîrfalas."

This Mira seems like an honest sort, Amara thinks.

"I am a seeker of magical lore", she'll tell Mira. "I found a note under the door to my room that said if I was interested in new magics I should be at the Ethereal Pantheon tavern tomorrow at sundown. I asked the innkeeper who left the note, and found out that whoever it was wore the same holy symbol that you do, though more tarnished. This is why I approached you; to learn more about the symbol you wear."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"New magics?" Quillia says, perking up. "I also seek the mysteries of magic, Amara. I don't suppose your note indicated what kind of magics they were seeking to teach?"

 

[Cannibal_Kender]

"No, the note didn't say", Amara replies to Quillia's question. "Its all very mysterious. Just enough information to grab my attention, and make me wonder."

She smiles.

"Which is why come tomorrow evening I shall go to the Ethereal Pantheon tavern."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"If you wouldn't mind, Kosji and I wouldn't mind tagging along. Though I wonder... Miria, perhaps I'm just being a bit paranoid, but is there any kind of 'dark side' to Mystra's faith? I mean, perhaps a tarnished holy symbol is just because the fellow hasn't had time to polish it as of late, but perhaps it could be something else? I've just had some bad experiences in the past," Quillia says, stroking Kosji's head.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

No cleric lets his symbol go dirty unless he's in mortal peril. If he had the time to write notes, he had the time to clean it. Something is amiss. When we go to this inn, I will search it ahead of time.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

"New magics are always of interest to Mystra's church," Miria agrees. "But a tarnished holy symbol..." She frowns suddenly and clasps her own holy symbol for reassurance. "No, there is no 'dark side' to Mystra's worship... not really..." she trails off and takes a nervous sip of wine and looks down at her plate, not making eye contact.

Poking at her food with her fork, she continues. "There are those who don't recognize Mystra in her current incarnation... They hold to the incarnation of Mystra that existed before the Time of Troubles, when the Gods walked the earth. The former incarnation of Mystra was far more neutral when it came to the application of magics; she would promote good and evil uses alike. Some of the previous Mystarian clerics and followers turned away from the current Mystra. Oftentimes, they let their holy symbols tarnish as a show of neglect of the current incarnation of the Goddess. But the Time of Troubles was long ago, and most of them were thought to have come around to the current faith, or... or to have been turned to some other God."