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Piratecat's storyhour reborn! (updated July 4, 2006)
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<blockquote data-quote="Piratecat" data-source="post: 2813787" data-attributes="member: 2"><p><strong><em>Part 1: Leaving Bearspittle</em></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>Really, it was probably the easiest mission they’d ever had.</p><p></p><p>Velendo, a cleric of Calphas the Wallbuilder, twitched his reins with an age-spotted hand as his horse ambled down the sun-dappled forest road. He was riding slower than most of the adventuring group. Velendo shifted the large shield that he used as a holy symbol and swatted at a stubborn horsefly. “You know, I really expected more trouble than that. Normally we end up having to fight something.”</p><p></p><p>“I know. It’s a nice change, isn’t it?” Nolin Benholm idly strummed the strings of his mandolin as he rode alongside, and the flames of his hair flickered in the soft wind. “He was so, so. . .” For once, the bard was at a loss for words.</p><p></p><p>“Reasonable?” </p><p></p><p>“Exactly! I mean, Rofan has been ‘enthusiastic’ ever since he first adventured with us six or seven years ago.”</p><p></p><p>Velendo wrinkled his forehead. “Enthusiastic?”</p><p></p><p>“By which I mean a certifiable nutcase.” Nolin grinned. “There’s a reason why he didn’t stay with the group for long. He may worship the same nature goddess that Tao does, but they’ve sure got a different way of showing it. Ask her about it some time. I think you met him once before, but that was only briefly. You probably missed his best sermons. If he wasn’t such a heretic, he’d have made a great evangelist.” Nolin chewed his lip for a moment. “Or maybe even a good bard. No, I take that back. A good jester. I ever tell you about the devil’s fruitcake?” </p><p></p><p>“The what?”</p><p></p><p>“The Devil’s Fruitcake. This was after Rofan was already getting unmanageable and prone to go off on tangents. We were at an inn and TomTom offered him some fruitcake. Not only did he refuse to eat it, he got up on a table and declared it to be ‘the devil’s fruitcake!’ Apparently, he declared fruitcake to be an unholy pastry item and anathema to Galanna. He must have preached about it for twenty minutes. It became a running joke amongst the Defenders. . . and I think we parted ways with him soon after. Not a very clever boy, our Rofan, but he always has had a certain personal style.”</p><p></p><p>Velendo chuckled. “You could say that. I know we first heard some weird rumors about him when he claimed he was a 'bear prophet' and decided to lead some religious cult off in the middle of the woods, but you know, I didn’t see any of that insanity when we visited him just now. He seems to have finally calmed down a bit.”</p><p></p><p>“Seems so,” said Nolin. “Mind you, that cult’s the reason that the church of Galanna asked us to investigate. They said he was worshipping animals instead of the nature goddess Herself, and that he was involved in some sort of taint.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, I didn’t see it.” Velendo wiped his brow and winced at an odd twinge in his back, like a nagging bruise. He wasn’t getting any younger, that was for sure. “He had some other worshippers there, but their village was entirely proper. There’s no reason to worry.”</p><p></p><p>“There’s no reason to worry,” agreed Nolin, a little distantly. “None at all. Want to catch up to the others?” Velendo dug in his heels, and their horses trotted jauntily up the path and away from the town of Bearspittle.</p><p></p><p>-- o --</p><p></p><p>“There’s no reason to worry,” said Sir Valdek Nurin. He pulled off the breastplate of his armor and stretched tired, sore muscles. One of his old battle wounds seemed to have reopened, and the pain made him wince. “Quite a relief. I never knew Rofan that well, but he was friendly enough.”</p><p></p><p>“Yup,” admitted Tao Camber grudgingly as she tossed more fuel onto the campfire. Across the fire, Kiri caught Valdek’s eye and they smiled a secret smile to one another. Tao pretended not to notice. “He was a nut. But all we had to do is explain to him how he differed from the church, and he realized his mistakes. A big change from the way he used to be.”</p><p></p><p>“You never used to like him, did you, Tao?” Velendo was leaning against his shield and sipping from a water skin. The warm summer sun had turned his bald head an uncomfortable shade of pink during their long ride.</p><p></p><p>Tao frowned. “I didn’t dislike him. Not personally. It’s just that he used to see the Goddess in every living thing.” Tao indicated a brace of rabbit hanging across the campsite. “I worship Galanna and know that She created the trees of the forest and the animals of the field, but I have no guilt about hunting. Predators eat prey, that’s the way nature works. But Rofan always worshipped those animals as if they <em>were</em> her. He’d refuse to crush an ant in case it might be the Goddess Incarnate. He’d pray to his horse, and treat my wardog as if it were going to answer his prayers and grant him miracles.” Tao wrinkled her nose, causing the tip of her pointed ears to wiggle slightly. “You can imagine that he got to be a little much. I’m more of a ranger than a priestess, but even I know better than that.”</p><p></p><p>“You <em>should</em> know better than that.” The druidess Raevynn stepped out of the shadows, her blond hair gleaming red in the firelight. “He was a heretic. The druidic council of Galanna sent me here to help you and make sure he either renounces his heretical ways, or is punished. Just as you are, I’m glad to see that his feet have finally found the true path.” </p><p></p><p>“He’s not a heretic.” Across the campsite from Raevynn, TomTom Badgerclaw looked up from where he was expertly skinning three dead squirrels. “He’s not entirely sane, mind you, but he has always meant well. I don’t think you want to start labeling people as heretics when you don’t really know them. And anyways, you met him and he’s fine, right?”</p><p></p><p>“I suppose,” allowed Raevynn. She didn’t look satisfied.</p><p></p><p>“Stew, anyone?” Nolin backed out of the depths of his tent, laden with soup bowls and utensils. “Tao’s got the fire going nicely. It’ll be ready before too long.”</p><p></p><p>“Not for me, thank you,” said Raevynn. “I had a few mice while I was in hawk form.” </p><p></p><p>“I’ll have her share!” said TomTom. The Halfling looked hungrily at the cooking pot. “And someone should get Shara. Where is she?”</p><p></p><p>Nolin snorted. “Miss Prissy is asleep already. I don’t think she’s used to traveling.”</p><p></p><p>“Stop being so judgmental.” Kirisandra laughed and looked over at her half-brother Nolin. One hand idly stroked her sleeping pseudodragon. “Nol, did you know that I actually belonged to Rofan’s cult for a while?”</p><p></p><p>Nolin looked shocked. “You did?” Kiri fidgeted as everyone turned to stare at her. She shrugged defensively.</p><p></p><p>“Yes.” Silence. “What? It was years ago. It was a phase I was going through.” More silence, this time disapproving. Kiri’s dismissive laughter was like a bell.</p><p></p><p>“What was it like?” asked Valdek finally. He had taken out his sword Warwinner and was slowly honing the blade. The rhythmic noise cut through the warm night.</p><p></p><p>“Boring.” Kiri idly poked at the fire. “A lot of people worshipping some bear, or a rabbit, or whatever animal they saw that morning. Maybe twenty people treating Rofan as some sort of prophet, and him completely oblivious to the attention. Bad food, all raw, and bad hymns. No cute men. A few gnomes running errands.”</p><p></p><p>“Oblivious,” said Nolin. “That’s our Rofan.” The fire popped. </p><p></p><p>“No gnomes there last night,” remarked Raevynn.</p><p></p><p>“Right,” agreed Valdek.</p><p></p><p>“None at all.”</p><p></p><p>Other voices chimed in. “But that’s no reason to worry.”</p><p></p><p>“We got there. . .”</p><p></p><p>“Isn’t it odd. .?”</p><p></p><p>The group began reciting, almost as if in unison. </p><p></p><p>“Things went so smoothly.”</p><p>“No real arguments, no fight.”</p><p>“He apologized and agreed to change his ways.”</p><p>“He sure did.”</p><p>“Then he showed us around.”</p><p>“We had a nice dinner.”</p><p>“We stayed the night.”</p><p>“No problems.”</p><p>“No reason to worry.”</p><p>“No reason to worry.”</p><p>“No reason to worry.”</p><p> </p><p>They all looked at one another, disquieted. The wizard Shara suddenly stepped into the circle of firelight, standing up abruptly as she left the darkness of her tent. </p><p></p><p>“I agree that everything went perfectly well. I know deep down there’s no reason to worry. We left peacefully after settling the problem in our favor.” Everyone nodded and stared at Shara quizzically. Her deep blue eyes were icy as she took a deep breath and lifted the hem of her tunic. </p><p></p><p>“But if that’s the case, when exactly did I get stabbed?”</p><p></p><p>-- o --</p><p></p><p>“Stabbed?” Raevynn the druid threw up her hands. “I don’t remember anything about you getting stabbed!”</p><p></p><p>“Stabbed. And partially healed.”</p><p></p><p>“Who would stab that perfect body?” leered Nolin. Shara just rolled her eyes and ignored him.</p><p></p><p>Valdek scowled. “I just found dried blood on my armor that wasn’t there yesterday. I think it’s my own. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before now.”</p><p></p><p> “It’s not just that,” said Velendo. “I think someone hit me as well. I’m also missing prayers that I should have prepared this morning, and that I <em>remember</em> having prepared.” He flung a small stick into the campfire as mocking shadows danced around them. </p><p></p><p>“Same here,” said Raevynn in annoyance. </p><p></p><p>Nolin did a quick mental inventory of his magical repertoire. “I’m missing some spells, too. I don’t know how I missed it. Do you actually remember praying, Velendo?”</p><p></p><p>“Well, sure. I remember preparing spells. . .” The old cleric’s voice trailed off into a mutter. “Well, sort of. I remember that I prepared spells, but I don’t really remember praying for each individual one, if that makes any sense.”</p><p></p><p>“It doesn’t,” said Tao. She sat with her back to a tree, staring out into the darkness.</p><p></p><p>“Sure it does,” said Shara. “Let’s go over this. What does everyone remember about the last two days?”</p><p></p><p>“I remember riding into town,” said Kiri, “and seeing Rofan come out to meet us with some friends in tow. He looked the same as I remembered him looking. Young kid, kind of pimply, unwashed, red hair standing straight up in back where he slept on it. And I remember us leaving really clearly. But everything in between is a little bit like I read it.”</p><p></p><p>Tao snorted in the darkness, and Nolin glanced over. “You’ll learn to read eventually, Tao.”</p><p></p><p>“That hardly matters right now,” said Raevynn. She sounded angry. “No one ever lived or died because they could or couldn’t read.” </p><p></p><p>Nolin snorted but got back on subject. “Okay, so we rode in to town. Then what?” Everyone spoke at once.The babble of voices sounded oddly repetitious.</p><p></p><p>“We confronted Rofan. . .”</p><p>“He apologized for how he was worshipping Galanna. . .”</p><p>“We were shown around the village.”</p><p>“They made us dinner.”</p><p>“We had a nice house to sleep in.”</p><p>“And then we left.”</p><p>“No reason to worry.”</p><p></p><p>Velendo rolled his eyes. “We all remember it the same?” Everyone nodded. “Exactly the same?” More nods. “What color was the house?” No one said a thing. “What did we have for breakfast this morning? What did Rofan’s friends look like? What is Rofan’s new religious philosophy?” Silence.</p><p></p><p>“Son of a bitch,” said Tao wonderingly. “Rofan’s an idiot. We all know that. But someone changed our memories, and we’ve just been suckered.”</p><p></p><p>The ride back to Bearspittle was considerably more urgent than the outward ride had been.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Piratecat, post: 2813787, member: 2"] [b][i]Part 1: Leaving Bearspittle[/i][/b][i][/i] Really, it was probably the easiest mission they’d ever had. Velendo, a cleric of Calphas the Wallbuilder, twitched his reins with an age-spotted hand as his horse ambled down the sun-dappled forest road. He was riding slower than most of the adventuring group. Velendo shifted the large shield that he used as a holy symbol and swatted at a stubborn horsefly. “You know, I really expected more trouble than that. Normally we end up having to fight something.” “I know. It’s a nice change, isn’t it?” Nolin Benholm idly strummed the strings of his mandolin as he rode alongside, and the flames of his hair flickered in the soft wind. “He was so, so. . .” For once, the bard was at a loss for words. “Reasonable?” “Exactly! I mean, Rofan has been ‘enthusiastic’ ever since he first adventured with us six or seven years ago.” Velendo wrinkled his forehead. “Enthusiastic?” “By which I mean a certifiable nutcase.” Nolin grinned. “There’s a reason why he didn’t stay with the group for long. He may worship the same nature goddess that Tao does, but they’ve sure got a different way of showing it. Ask her about it some time. I think you met him once before, but that was only briefly. You probably missed his best sermons. If he wasn’t such a heretic, he’d have made a great evangelist.” Nolin chewed his lip for a moment. “Or maybe even a good bard. No, I take that back. A good jester. I ever tell you about the devil’s fruitcake?” “The what?” “The Devil’s Fruitcake. This was after Rofan was already getting unmanageable and prone to go off on tangents. We were at an inn and TomTom offered him some fruitcake. Not only did he refuse to eat it, he got up on a table and declared it to be ‘the devil’s fruitcake!’ Apparently, he declared fruitcake to be an unholy pastry item and anathema to Galanna. He must have preached about it for twenty minutes. It became a running joke amongst the Defenders. . . and I think we parted ways with him soon after. Not a very clever boy, our Rofan, but he always has had a certain personal style.” Velendo chuckled. “You could say that. I know we first heard some weird rumors about him when he claimed he was a 'bear prophet' and decided to lead some religious cult off in the middle of the woods, but you know, I didn’t see any of that insanity when we visited him just now. He seems to have finally calmed down a bit.” “Seems so,” said Nolin. “Mind you, that cult’s the reason that the church of Galanna asked us to investigate. They said he was worshipping animals instead of the nature goddess Herself, and that he was involved in some sort of taint.” “Well, I didn’t see it.” Velendo wiped his brow and winced at an odd twinge in his back, like a nagging bruise. He wasn’t getting any younger, that was for sure. “He had some other worshippers there, but their village was entirely proper. There’s no reason to worry.” “There’s no reason to worry,” agreed Nolin, a little distantly. “None at all. Want to catch up to the others?” Velendo dug in his heels, and their horses trotted jauntily up the path and away from the town of Bearspittle. -- o -- “There’s no reason to worry,” said Sir Valdek Nurin. He pulled off the breastplate of his armor and stretched tired, sore muscles. One of his old battle wounds seemed to have reopened, and the pain made him wince. “Quite a relief. I never knew Rofan that well, but he was friendly enough.” “Yup,” admitted Tao Camber grudgingly as she tossed more fuel onto the campfire. Across the fire, Kiri caught Valdek’s eye and they smiled a secret smile to one another. Tao pretended not to notice. “He was a nut. But all we had to do is explain to him how he differed from the church, and he realized his mistakes. A big change from the way he used to be.” “You never used to like him, did you, Tao?” Velendo was leaning against his shield and sipping from a water skin. The warm summer sun had turned his bald head an uncomfortable shade of pink during their long ride. Tao frowned. “I didn’t dislike him. Not personally. It’s just that he used to see the Goddess in every living thing.” Tao indicated a brace of rabbit hanging across the campsite. “I worship Galanna and know that She created the trees of the forest and the animals of the field, but I have no guilt about hunting. Predators eat prey, that’s the way nature works. But Rofan always worshipped those animals as if they [i]were[/i] her. He’d refuse to crush an ant in case it might be the Goddess Incarnate. He’d pray to his horse, and treat my wardog as if it were going to answer his prayers and grant him miracles.” Tao wrinkled her nose, causing the tip of her pointed ears to wiggle slightly. “You can imagine that he got to be a little much. I’m more of a ranger than a priestess, but even I know better than that.” “You [i]should[/i] know better than that.” The druidess Raevynn stepped out of the shadows, her blond hair gleaming red in the firelight. “He was a heretic. The druidic council of Galanna sent me here to help you and make sure he either renounces his heretical ways, or is punished. Just as you are, I’m glad to see that his feet have finally found the true path.” “He’s not a heretic.” Across the campsite from Raevynn, TomTom Badgerclaw looked up from where he was expertly skinning three dead squirrels. “He’s not entirely sane, mind you, but he has always meant well. I don’t think you want to start labeling people as heretics when you don’t really know them. And anyways, you met him and he’s fine, right?” “I suppose,” allowed Raevynn. She didn’t look satisfied. “Stew, anyone?” Nolin backed out of the depths of his tent, laden with soup bowls and utensils. “Tao’s got the fire going nicely. It’ll be ready before too long.” “Not for me, thank you,” said Raevynn. “I had a few mice while I was in hawk form.” “I’ll have her share!” said TomTom. The Halfling looked hungrily at the cooking pot. “And someone should get Shara. Where is she?” Nolin snorted. “Miss Prissy is asleep already. I don’t think she’s used to traveling.” “Stop being so judgmental.” Kirisandra laughed and looked over at her half-brother Nolin. One hand idly stroked her sleeping pseudodragon. “Nol, did you know that I actually belonged to Rofan’s cult for a while?” Nolin looked shocked. “You did?” Kiri fidgeted as everyone turned to stare at her. She shrugged defensively. “Yes.” Silence. “What? It was years ago. It was a phase I was going through.” More silence, this time disapproving. Kiri’s dismissive laughter was like a bell. “What was it like?” asked Valdek finally. He had taken out his sword Warwinner and was slowly honing the blade. The rhythmic noise cut through the warm night. “Boring.” Kiri idly poked at the fire. “A lot of people worshipping some bear, or a rabbit, or whatever animal they saw that morning. Maybe twenty people treating Rofan as some sort of prophet, and him completely oblivious to the attention. Bad food, all raw, and bad hymns. No cute men. A few gnomes running errands.” “Oblivious,” said Nolin. “That’s our Rofan.” The fire popped. “No gnomes there last night,” remarked Raevynn. “Right,” agreed Valdek. “None at all.” Other voices chimed in. “But that’s no reason to worry.” “We got there. . .” “Isn’t it odd. .?” The group began reciting, almost as if in unison. “Things went so smoothly.” “No real arguments, no fight.” “He apologized and agreed to change his ways.” “He sure did.” “Then he showed us around.” “We had a nice dinner.” “We stayed the night.” “No problems.” “No reason to worry.” “No reason to worry.” “No reason to worry.” They all looked at one another, disquieted. The wizard Shara suddenly stepped into the circle of firelight, standing up abruptly as she left the darkness of her tent. “I agree that everything went perfectly well. I know deep down there’s no reason to worry. We left peacefully after settling the problem in our favor.” Everyone nodded and stared at Shara quizzically. Her deep blue eyes were icy as she took a deep breath and lifted the hem of her tunic. “But if that’s the case, when exactly did I get stabbed?” -- o -- “Stabbed?” Raevynn the druid threw up her hands. “I don’t remember anything about you getting stabbed!” “Stabbed. And partially healed.” “Who would stab that perfect body?” leered Nolin. Shara just rolled her eyes and ignored him. Valdek scowled. “I just found dried blood on my armor that wasn’t there yesterday. I think it’s my own. I don’t know why I didn’t notice it before now.” “It’s not just that,” said Velendo. “I think someone hit me as well. I’m also missing prayers that I should have prepared this morning, and that I [i]remember[/i] having prepared.” He flung a small stick into the campfire as mocking shadows danced around them. “Same here,” said Raevynn in annoyance. Nolin did a quick mental inventory of his magical repertoire. “I’m missing some spells, too. I don’t know how I missed it. Do you actually remember praying, Velendo?” “Well, sure. I remember preparing spells. . .” The old cleric’s voice trailed off into a mutter. “Well, sort of. I remember that I prepared spells, but I don’t really remember praying for each individual one, if that makes any sense.” “It doesn’t,” said Tao. She sat with her back to a tree, staring out into the darkness. “Sure it does,” said Shara. “Let’s go over this. What does everyone remember about the last two days?” “I remember riding into town,” said Kiri, “and seeing Rofan come out to meet us with some friends in tow. He looked the same as I remembered him looking. Young kid, kind of pimply, unwashed, red hair standing straight up in back where he slept on it. And I remember us leaving really clearly. But everything in between is a little bit like I read it.” Tao snorted in the darkness, and Nolin glanced over. “You’ll learn to read eventually, Tao.” “That hardly matters right now,” said Raevynn. She sounded angry. “No one ever lived or died because they could or couldn’t read.” Nolin snorted but got back on subject. “Okay, so we rode in to town. Then what?” Everyone spoke at once.The babble of voices sounded oddly repetitious. “We confronted Rofan. . .” “He apologized for how he was worshipping Galanna. . .” “We were shown around the village.” “They made us dinner.” “We had a nice house to sleep in.” “And then we left.” “No reason to worry.” Velendo rolled his eyes. “We all remember it the same?” Everyone nodded. “Exactly the same?” More nods. “What color was the house?” No one said a thing. “What did we have for breakfast this morning? What did Rofan’s friends look like? What is Rofan’s new religious philosophy?” Silence. “Son of a bitch,” said Tao wonderingly. “Rofan’s an idiot. We all know that. But someone changed our memories, and we’ve just been suckered.” The ride back to Bearspittle was considerably more urgent than the outward ride had been. [/QUOTE]
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