Ashy's Oathbound Campaign, IC [ARCHIVED]

[deadestdai]

Baja, listens as he can to the sheep's dialogue whilst dealing with his grumbling gut.

 

[Vendetta]

"Is there anything that I might be able to do to help you?" Xerxes says as he stands up, ready to lend a hand where he may.

 

[Ashy]

Thank you. I would know more of the Flock. From what you have said I gather they are the ones who bring in others from other worlds, they bring in seeds? You mentioned they are also slaves. Slaves to who or what?

Yarish manages to tear his green eyes from Kiera and composes himself. He begins speaking and you can suddenly tell that he is far older than his actions might indicate. His words take on a sing-song quality that you have often heard bards use while reciting ancient lays and ballads.

"Your children, your wards, share your sentence clear,
Forever and a year we bind you here.

Seven citadels to hold your fate,
Seven to cradle you in our hate;
Feathered four-horned fowl protect from breach,
And bar all creation from your reach.

None less than the greatest of the grand,
Wielding at their side or in their hands
Not less than the grandest of the great,
May ever aspire to break this fate.

Hear our laughter from pantheons on high,
As you envy mortals who simply die."

The singsong voice ends, and it has grown darker in the cave, despite the growing fire. Chills run down each of your arms and back up again, scampering up your shoulders to settle in, like frigid nettles, at the base of your skulls.

Yarish continues, "This is the Oath of Binding, or a near approximation thereof, which was spoken at the beginning of time, when it is thought that the Forge was created. None know for certain, but many greybeards believe that it was at that time that the Flock, though not the current incarnations of them as we know them today, were also created, and bound to the very roots of the world itself. None know why they were created, nor why they are bound, nor why they do what they do, but everyone you meet - or rather, everyone that is kind enough to speak with you - has their own ideas about the why's and the wherefore's. Personally, I believe that they are guarding the life force of the Forge itself, by which they are also bound, and that their connection to this ever-present force causes them to slowly go insane. Thus, they desire to pull in others - know as seeds - in an attempt to have a diversion from this insanity, or possibly freedom from it, for those seeds who are foolish enough to fight them-"

Yana snorts, "Yer a fool sometimes, Yarish. Everyone knows that the Flock are the remnants of gods, exiled here forever. They pull unfortunates in from other worlds with all that remains of their divine abilities and play them like marionetts do their puppets! They-"

"Enough. We do not need another argument about this." Isror eyes the halfling and his wife. "It is time to hear about how our guests arrived here..." He then looks to you, as he adds some odd-shaped tubers into the thick, rich-smelling, brown stew before him.

 

[Ashy]

Tristan nods to their hosts as he takes a place by the fire, shedding his pack, and placing it against a wall so Raak doesn't fall off. He clanks slightly as he seats himself. He watches the others converse for a moment, and having nothing else to contribute, he prepares himself to answer Isror's question when the time becomes right. He takes one finger, and carves the other army's symbol into the dirt next to him.

As Isror stirs the stew - which smells mouth-watering - he looks to the symbol. "Tha' be th' symbol of Ossian, one of the more fair (if ya listen to folk who trust warlords) of th' Warlords."

 

[Voadam]

An odd chant.

It would seem to indicate the Seven were sentenced and bound here, and all their wards and children as well. They are tied to specific citadels.The part about all creation being barred seems contradicted by them reaching out to grab outsiders, but perhaps it means the power of divine creation is barred to them, and they are restricted to grabbing outsiders and manipulating what others have created. Hmmm, it sounds like they were divine beings who were cast down and bound by other gods. So they would be bitter gods with certain restrictions on them but still beings of great power. And four-horned fowl protect from breach, perhaps mystically enforcing the restrictions.

Thank you, it is a start to understanding from the top down here.

 

[hafrogman]

As Isror stirs the stew - which smells mouth-watering - he looks to the symbol. "Tha' be th' symbol of Ossian, one of the more fair (if ya listen to folk who trust warlords) of th' Warlords."

Tristan nods vaguely at Isror's statement while staring at the symbol.

"Well, being fair minded didn't seem to protect his forces any when they were attacked. Sadly that is often the case."

With a single sweep of his hand, Tristan obliterates the symbol from existence and stares into the fire absent mindedly.

"I think it best if Kiera tells our tale. She is our leader after all."

 

[Ashy]

An odd chant.

It would seem to indicate the Seven were sentenced and bound here, and all their wards and children as well. They are tied to specific citadels.The part about all creation being barred seems contradicted by them reaching out to grab outsiders, but perhaps it means the power of divine creation is barred to them, and they are restricted to grabbing outsiders and manipulating what others have created. Hmmm, it sounds like they were divine beings who were cast down and bound by other gods. So they would be bitter gods with certain restrictions on them but still beings of great power. And four-horned fowl protect from breach, perhaps mystically enforcing the restrictions.

Thank you, it is a start to understanding from the top down here.

"Many believe this was as well; as you can see, many interpretations are viable", Yana says with pursed lips. "It is true that the Seven have god-like powers, but they are challenged, usually futilily, but there have been instances where one of the Seven has been defeated. The only true way to destory them, it is said, is to enter their citadels and defeat them there." The female ram-creature pauses for a moment and swallows hard, "but of all tales that I've ever heard of folk who entered the citadels, none are ever heard from again..."

 

[Ashy]

Tristan nods vaguely at Isror's statement while staring at the symbol.

"Well, being fair minded didn't seem to protect his forces any when they were attacked. Sadly that is often the case."

With a single sweep of his hand, Tristan obliterates the symbol from existence and stares into the fire absent mindedly.

"I think it best if Kiera tells our tale. She is our leader after all."

Isror nods to Tristan and then looks to Kiera. After a moment, he begins spooning out some of the stew into wooden bowls and handing them around. Yana moves over to a large sack and pulls out some small brown rolls and begins tearing off pieces, likewise handing them out to all around the fire. The stew smells wonderful and has bits of what appears to be meat and tuber-like vegetables floating in it; it is a dark brown color, almost black. The pieces of tubers are a lighter color and the contrast is striking, but the taste is wonderful, full bodied and meaty, with a slight bitter after-tang. The bread is hard and chewy, but after being soaked in the stew, it softens up nicely.

Apparently, one's senses of taste are also heighted on the Forge; for all of you - this stew is, while likely the simplest meal you've ever tasted, also the most wonderful. It is as if you have never really eaten food before - like all of the other meals before this one were nothing more than practice with flavorless facsimilies of real food...

 

[Voadam]

I thank you for the generous offer of food, but I am of the Luminous. We are not flesh and blood as other mortal races are and do not eat or drink as you and my comrades do.

 

[Ferrix]

Kiera will smile at Tristan's request, placing her bowl of stew before her she begins, "As you say many have been taken from other worlds to this place, you call them seeds. They are stolen in a cloud of black birds and most never return. However, those that do are left feeling as if there was a great part of them gone, the life in their old world has become stale and colorless compared to the sharpness of life here." Her voice is warm, and strong, "one such man returned to our world from here and pressed many of his resources to the edge of his capacity in gathering knowledge of this place. They, having stolen our people for so long, have become thieves to our worlds. Thus with the guiding light of Pelor, this group was formed, with me as the leader to come to this world and..." Her story goes on for some time describing a bit more in detail their mission, Pelor and the church, the father, and their world but very little of her own life.

When she finishes she smiles at her companions, a family for her again at last. She picks up her bowl of stew, relishing the last few spoonfuls as if it were her first meal again.

OOC: hopes that is decent, don't have enough computer time to type up everything