Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Bitterness Overcome: (Now A Completed Story!)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3170582" data-attributes="member: 35788"><p>Inside the hidden chamber, Xando brought the new Provenience to Darrok. <span style="color: Lime">“I told you that he was safe and here for you to see.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience smiled for a second before she noticed that her father was bound. A look of anger immediately surged over her face. <span style="color: Red">“Why have you bound him? Is he not to be free with the rest of the village?”</span></p><p></p><p>And the sound of her voice, Darrok looked up to the face of his daughter. <span style="color: Lime">“Tierna, is that you?”</span> The name Tierna was of a draconic origin and Darrok spoke the name softly with a great deal of affection.</p><p></p><p>Xando stepped away from the new Provenience as he explained the condition of her father. <span style="color: Lime">“He is bound because he stepped in the way of the coming of freedom to the village. His intent was to keep our people enslaved under the wrath of our dragon father. Until we are free without repercussion of the dragon father’s wrath we unfortunately cannot trust him.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience shot a confused look to Xando. <span style="color: Red">“You proclaim freedom for all yet deny it to my own father?”</span></p><p></p><p>Darrok looked up to his daughter. <span style="color: Lime">“Tierna, do not be upset. I did not believe that they could save you since you were so close to our dragon father all the time. If they could not save you, I was not going to abandon you to face the wrath of our dragon father alone.”</span></p><p></p><p>Xando interrupted. <span style="color: Lime">“He attempted to warn our dragon father of our plan. His action would have put us all in danger. In fact, if the rumors are true that you are indeed carrying the crossbred children of dragon and Drakontai we would have likely all been killed under his wrath. We could not let that happen.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience was no longer buying the explanation. She looked angrily upon Xando. Her respect for the village elder was beginning to grow thin at the outrage against her father. Perhaps more importantly, her anger helped her overcome the loose control that Rhema had been able to maintain so far.</p><p></p><p>Outside the hidden chamber Rhema’s eyes flashed open in sudden awareness. She released Charis from the comforting embrace and pushed back far enough to catch Charis’ eyes with her own. Her eyes glanced into the darkness of the antechamber where the food stores were being kept.</p><p></p><p>At once Charis knew something was wrong. She quickly asked Rhema what had alerted her senses. <span style="color: Orange">“Rhema? What’s wrong? Did you hear something?”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema shook her head from side to side. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“No, more like I felt something. Grab your pick and follow me. We need to hurry to keep order.”</span></p><p></p><p>Inside the room, the new Provenience saw the movement at the entrance to the cave. Her eyes focused beyond Xando upon Charis and Rhema as they came into the room. Rhema came first and was unarmed. She had her hands open in a direction towards the new Provenience. Charis followed at her heels with her pick already drawn. There was a menacing expression upon her face.</p><p></p><p>Rhema broke the silence, not desiring to give the new Provenience a chance to talk. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“Listen to me, Provenience. You are free. Your family has been saved. There is no reason to be angry.”</span></p><p></p><p>As Rhema spoke, Charis stepped slightly ahead of Rhema and stood to her right. She stood with her legs spread wide for balance. The new Provenience could tell that she was readying herself against any kind of attack. </p><p></p><p>Tierna wisely chose to speak rather than act. <span style="color: Red">“No reason to be angry? You use your mind controlling witch powers upon me to trick me to come here willingly and I have no reason to be angry? And when I do come here I find that my father has been bound and his freedom taken away? What reason do I have to believe you and your words of freedom? How long will you keep him bound?”</span></p><p></p><p>Xando gestured calmly with his hands in an attempt to diffuse the new Provenience’s anger. <span style="color: Lime">“Provenience, surely you can understand why all of these precautions were made. The necessity to bind your father was for the sake of the village. Had your father succeeded we would likely be dead!”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience scowled at Xando’s assertion. <span style="color: Red">“Do you think that I honestly care? The villagers were weak and thought they could have freedom once before. Our dragon father demonstrated his power by bringing you all back together after the weak Provenience fled and stayed away.”</span></p><p></p><p>Charis spoke up to refute Tierna’s words. There was a stern sense of simmering anger behind her tone. <span style="color: Orange">“That is where we are different, Provenience.”</span> Charis couldn’t believe the amount of freedom she felt in speaking that title in reference to another person. <span style="color: Orange">“We would fight for your freedom while you would desire that the villagers die so you may become powerful. I once thought the same as you. I once thought that the title of Provenience would give me great power. But what I have learned is that the Provenience is simply bred until they are useless for producing offspring any more. Then, they are consumed. There is no glory waiting for you. You desire a power that was never yours to grasp. We seek to give you true power through your freedom.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience snapped a reply back to Charis. <span style="color: Red">“You speak to cover your own failing. You couldn’t handle becoming the Provenience so you stayed away from the power of our dragon father. And if what you had to say was even remotely true, why did you compel me to come here through the power of mind control that your friend the witch uses?”</span></p><p></p><p>Rhema had enough of being called a witch. Her voice raised in volume as she answered the new Provenience’s claims. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“Your dragon father could not be counted on being gone for long. We could divert him from the cave for only so long. We didn’t have the luxury of taking our time. You were being argumentative, as would be expected. I saw an opportunity to win you over without explaining it all in the dragon’s chamber. What was important was getting you here safely. We promised that much to your father.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience winced at the mention of her father. She was obviously still angry with seeing her father bound. She was angry enough that she had missed a pair of people entering the hidden alcove behind Rhema and Charis.</p><p></p><p>A frail voice came from one of the newcomers. <span style="color: Lime">“Listen to them, child. They speak the truth. You are to be commended for your desire to serve our dragon father, but you must let go of that blind obedience.”</span> Rhema and Charis didn’t need to turn around to know the speaker. Druff had entered the chamber.</p><p></p><p>A second voice continued where Druff left off. This softer and more feminine voice did catch Charis and Rhema by surprise. <span style="color: Lime">“Yes, Tierna. Your actions are commendable indeed. You have made your father and me proud. But you are here with us now. You can raise your unborn children in peace without fear of suffering under our dragon father. You can raise your children with us alive.”</span></p><p></p><p>Darrok tried to look from his position to where his wife stood. He could not see her, but his face revealed that he was obviously pleased that she was safe. Simply hearing her voice softened his expression. He spoke to his daughter softly. <span style="color: Lime">“Tierna, they have bound me because I wanted to go against them. But now that you are all here I see the error of my ways. I do not blame them because I did not have the necessary faith to see their combined strength. Don’t be angry on my behalf. You have enough to think about without being angry on my behalf.”</span></p><p></p><p>The new Provenience scowled at the words of her father. The scowl was not in anger as much as it was in recognition of the complication that had taken her life by storm over the past few hours. She darted the focus of her eyes around the room from person to person. There were certainly too many people involved now to solve this dilemma with violence.</p><p></p><p>Before the new Provenience could respond, Druff’s voice filled the cavern again. <span style="color: Lime">“Friends, I believe that Darrok has truly seen the error of his ways. I believe that he desires freedom as much as the rest of us and no longer feels any loyalty to our dragon father. I ask that in an attempt to make a show for Tierna’s sake that you release Darrok to my honor.”</span></p><p></p><p>Xando spoke as well. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation before he had brought the new Provenience into the room. <span style="color: Lime">“On my honor as well. I will stand beside Druff and guarantee that Darrok’s allegiance has shifted away from our father dragon.”</span></p><p></p><p>Charis turned to Rhema, giving her the authority to speak on behalf of the rescue attempt. Rhema nodded slowly to the affirmative. <span style="color: PaleGreen">“There is likely little comfort any of them would find in their village. I would be surprised if their father dragon has not returned by now and found his Provenience gone and the village empty. Should they return they would find themselves with their father dragon’s fury focused solely on them.”</span> A grim smile passed over her lips, knowing that her speech was intended more for Darrok and the new Provenience that anyone else.</p><p></p><p>Charis nodded approvingly. <span style="color: Orange">“Besides, we need to start moving the supplies to the hall deeper in the mountain. There the mountain will truly provide shelter for us as long as we need it. Xando, free him and get the people ready to receive supplies. When we move, we’ll move as many of the supplies at first as we can.”</span></p><p></p><p>Xando freed Darrok, and with the help of Druff and Darrok’s wife they brought the new Provenience among the people. Tierna turned to face the cave entrance secretly wishing she could return to Quehalost. As she looked out the entrance a fair distance away she could not see the figure approaching from the forest. </p><p></p><p>The light-gray figure slowly approached the entrance knowing that the rendezvous was to occur within this space. As it reached the entrance to the tunnel it met a force that it could not penetrate. The ghostly figure was bound to Quehalost. The same power that kept the figure from properly entering the afterlife also kept the figure from meeting up with the freedom fighters gathering beneath the mountain. It stood alone at the cave entrance, unable to go any further.</p><p></p><p>[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]</p><p>Inside the hidden chamber, Xando brought the new Provenience to Darrok. “I told you that he was safe and here for you to see.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience smiled for a second before she noticed that her father was bound. A look of anger immediately surged over her face. “Why have you bound him? Is he not to be free with the rest of the village?”</p><p></p><p>And the sound of her voice, Darrok looked up to the face of his daughter. “Tierna, is that you?” The name Tierna was of a draconic origin and Darrok spoke the name softly with a great deal of affection.</p><p></p><p>Xando stepped away from the new Provenience as he explained the condition of her father. “He is bound because he stepped in the way of the coming of freedom to the village. His intent was to keep our people enslaved under the wrath of our dragon father. Until we are free without repercussion of the dragon father’s wrath we unfortunately cannot trust him.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience shot a confused look to Xando. “You proclaim freedom for all yet deny it to my own father?”</p><p></p><p>Darrok looked up to his daughter. “Tierna, do not be upset. I did not believe that they could save you since you were so close to our dragon father all the time. If they could not save you, I was not going to abandon you to face the wrath of our dragon father alone.”</p><p></p><p>Xando interrupted. “He attempted to warn our dragon father of our plan. His action would have put us all in danger. In fact, if the rumors are true that you are indeed carrying the crossbred children of dragon and Drakontai we would have likely all been killed under his wrath. We could not let that happen.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience was no longer buying the explanation. She looked angrily upon Xando. Her respect for the village elder was beginning to grow thin at the outrage against her father. Perhaps more importantly, her anger helped her overcome the loose control that Rhema had been able to maintain so far.</p><p></p><p>Outside the hidden chamber Rhema’s eyes flashed open in sudden awareness. She released Charis from the comforting embrace and pushed back far enough to catch Charis’ eyes with her own. Her eyes glanced into the darkness of the antechamber where the food stores were being kept.</p><p></p><p>At once Charis knew something was wrong. She quickly asked Rhema what had alerted her senses. “Rhema? What’s wrong? Did you hear something?”</p><p></p><p>Rhema shook her head from side to side. “No, more like I felt something. Grab your pick and follow me. We need to hurry to keep order.”</p><p></p><p>Inside the room, the new Provenience saw the movement at the entrance to the cave. Her eyes focused beyond Xando upon Charis and Rhema as they came into the room. Rhema came first and was unarmed. She had her hands open in a direction towards the new Provenience. Charis followed at her heels with her pick already drawn. There was a menacing expression upon her face.</p><p></p><p>Rhema broke the silence, not desiring to give the new Provenience a chance to talk. “Listen to me, Provenience. You are free. Your family has been saved. There is no reason to be angry.”</p><p></p><p>As Rhema spoke, Charis stepped slightly ahead of Rhema and stood to her right. She stood with her legs spread wide for balance. The new Provenience could tell that she was readying herself against any kind of attack. </p><p></p><p>Tierna wisely chose to speak rather than act. “No reason to be angry? You use your mind controlling witch powers upon me to trick me to come here willingly and I have no reason to be angry? And when I do come here I find that my father has been bound and his freedom taken away? What reason do I have to believe you and your words of freedom? How long will you keep him bound?”</p><p></p><p>Xando gestured calmly with his hands in an attempt to diffuse the new Provenience’s anger. “Provenience, surely you can understand why all of these precautions were made. The necessity to bind your father was for the sake of the village. Had your father succeeded we would likely be dead!”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience scowled at Xando’s assertion. “Do you think that I honestly care? The villagers were weak and thought they could have freedom once before. Our dragon father demonstrated his power by bringing you all back together after the weak Provenience fled and stayed away.”</p><p></p><p>Charis spoke up to refute Tierna’s words. There was a stern sense of simmering anger behind her tone. “That is where we are different, Provenience.” Charis couldn’t believe the amount of freedom she felt in speaking that title in reference to another person. “We would fight for your freedom while you would desire that the villagers die so you may become powerful. I once thought the same as you. I once thought that the title of Provenience would give me great power. But what I have learned is that the Provenience is simply bred until they are useless for producing offspring any more. Then, they are consumed. There is no glory waiting for you. You desire a power that was never yours to grasp. We seek to give you true power through your freedom.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience snapped a reply back to Charis. “You speak to cover your own failing. You couldn’t handle becoming the Provenience so you stayed away from the power of our dragon father. And if what you had to say was even remotely true, why did you compel me to come here through the power of mind control that your friend the witch uses?”</p><p></p><p>Rhema had enough of being called a witch. Her voice raised in volume as she answered the new Provenience’s claims. “Your dragon father could not be counted on being gone for long. We could divert him from the cave for only so long. We didn’t have the luxury of taking our time. You were being argumentative, as would be expected. I saw an opportunity to win you over without explaining it all in the dragon’s chamber. What was important was getting you here safely. We promised that much to your father.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience winced at the mention of her father. She was obviously still angry with seeing her father bound. She was angry enough that she had missed a pair of people entering the hidden alcove behind Rhema and Charis.</p><p></p><p>A frail voice came from one of the newcomers. “Listen to them, child. They speak the truth. You are to be commended for your desire to serve our dragon father, but you must let go of that blind obedience.” Rhema and Charis didn’t need to turn around to know the speaker. Druff had entered the chamber.</p><p></p><p>A second voice continued where Druff left off. This softer and more feminine voice did catch Charis and Rhema by surprise. “Yes, Tierna. Your actions are commendable indeed. You have made your father and me proud. But you are here with us now. You can raise your unborn children in peace without fear of suffering under our dragon father. You can raise your children with us alive.”</p><p></p><p>Darrok tried to look from his position to where his wife stood. He could not see her, but his face revealed that he was obviously pleased that she was safe. Simply hearing her voice softened his expression. He spoke to his daughter softly. “Tierna, they have bound me because I wanted to go against them. But now that you are all here I see the error of my ways. I do not blame them because I did not have the necessary faith to see their combined strength. Don’t be angry on my behalf. You have enough to think about without being angry on my behalf.”</p><p></p><p>The new Provenience scowled at the words of her father. The scowl was not in anger as much as it was in recognition of the complication that had taken her life by storm over the past few hours. She darted the focus of her eyes around the room from person to person. There were certainly too many people involved now to solve this dilemma with violence.</p><p></p><p>Before the new Provenience could respond, Druff’s voice filled the cavern again. “Friends, I believe that Darrok has truly seen the error of his ways. I believe that he desires freedom as much as the rest of us and no longer feels any loyalty to our dragon father. I ask that in an attempt to make a show for Tierna’s sake that you release Darrok to my honor.”</p><p></p><p>Xando spoke as well. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation before he had brought the new Provenience into the room. “On my honor as well. I will stand beside Druff and guarantee that Darrok’s allegiance has shifted away from our father dragon.”</p><p></p><p>Charis turned to Rhema, giving her the authority to speak on behalf of the rescue attempt. Rhema nodded slowly to the affirmative. “There is likely little comfort any of them would find in their village. I would be surprised if their father dragon has not returned by now and found his Provenience gone and the village empty. Should they return they would find themselves with their father dragon’s fury focused solely on them.” A grim smile passed over her lips, knowing that her speech was intended more for Darrok and the new Provenience that anyone else.</p><p></p><p>Charis nodded approvingly. “Besides, we need to start moving the supplies to the hall deeper in the mountain. There the mountain will truly provide shelter for us as long as we need it. Xando, free him and get the people ready to receive supplies. When we move, we’ll move as many of the supplies at first as we can.”</p><p></p><p>Xando freed Darrok, and with the help of Druff and Darrok’s wife they brought the new Provenience among the people. Tierna turned to face the cave entrance secretly wishing she could return to Quehalost. As she looked out the entrance a fair distance away she could not see the figure approaching from the forest. </p><p></p><p>The light-gray figure slowly approached the entrance knowing that the rendezvous was to occur within this space. As it reached the entrance to the tunnel it met a force that it could not penetrate. The ghostly figure was bound to Quehalost. The same power that kept the figure from properly entering the afterlife also kept the figure from meeting up with the freedom fighters gathering beneath the mountain. It stood alone at the cave entrance, unable to go any further.</p><p> [/Sblock]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nonlethal Force, post: 3170582, member: 35788"] Inside the hidden chamber, Xando brought the new Provenience to Darrok. [Color=Lime]“I told you that he was safe and here for you to see.”[/Color] The new Provenience smiled for a second before she noticed that her father was bound. A look of anger immediately surged over her face. [Color=Red]“Why have you bound him? Is he not to be free with the rest of the village?”[/Color] And the sound of her voice, Darrok looked up to the face of his daughter. [Color=Lime]“Tierna, is that you?”[/Color] The name Tierna was of a draconic origin and Darrok spoke the name softly with a great deal of affection. Xando stepped away from the new Provenience as he explained the condition of her father. [Color=Lime]“He is bound because he stepped in the way of the coming of freedom to the village. His intent was to keep our people enslaved under the wrath of our dragon father. Until we are free without repercussion of the dragon father’s wrath we unfortunately cannot trust him.”[/Color] The new Provenience shot a confused look to Xando. [Color=Red]“You proclaim freedom for all yet deny it to my own father?”[/Color] Darrok looked up to his daughter. [Color=Lime]“Tierna, do not be upset. I did not believe that they could save you since you were so close to our dragon father all the time. If they could not save you, I was not going to abandon you to face the wrath of our dragon father alone.”[/Color] Xando interrupted. [Color=Lime]“He attempted to warn our dragon father of our plan. His action would have put us all in danger. In fact, if the rumors are true that you are indeed carrying the crossbred children of dragon and Drakontai we would have likely all been killed under his wrath. We could not let that happen.”[/Color] The new Provenience was no longer buying the explanation. She looked angrily upon Xando. Her respect for the village elder was beginning to grow thin at the outrage against her father. Perhaps more importantly, her anger helped her overcome the loose control that Rhema had been able to maintain so far. Outside the hidden chamber Rhema’s eyes flashed open in sudden awareness. She released Charis from the comforting embrace and pushed back far enough to catch Charis’ eyes with her own. Her eyes glanced into the darkness of the antechamber where the food stores were being kept. At once Charis knew something was wrong. She quickly asked Rhema what had alerted her senses. [Color=Orange]“Rhema? What’s wrong? Did you hear something?”[/Color] Rhema shook her head from side to side. [Color=PaleGreen]“No, more like I felt something. Grab your pick and follow me. We need to hurry to keep order.”[/Color] Inside the room, the new Provenience saw the movement at the entrance to the cave. Her eyes focused beyond Xando upon Charis and Rhema as they came into the room. Rhema came first and was unarmed. She had her hands open in a direction towards the new Provenience. Charis followed at her heels with her pick already drawn. There was a menacing expression upon her face. Rhema broke the silence, not desiring to give the new Provenience a chance to talk. [Color=PaleGreen]“Listen to me, Provenience. You are free. Your family has been saved. There is no reason to be angry.”[/Color] As Rhema spoke, Charis stepped slightly ahead of Rhema and stood to her right. She stood with her legs spread wide for balance. The new Provenience could tell that she was readying herself against any kind of attack. Tierna wisely chose to speak rather than act. [Color=Red]“No reason to be angry? You use your mind controlling witch powers upon me to trick me to come here willingly and I have no reason to be angry? And when I do come here I find that my father has been bound and his freedom taken away? What reason do I have to believe you and your words of freedom? How long will you keep him bound?”[/Color] Xando gestured calmly with his hands in an attempt to diffuse the new Provenience’s anger. [Color=Lime]“Provenience, surely you can understand why all of these precautions were made. The necessity to bind your father was for the sake of the village. Had your father succeeded we would likely be dead!”[/Color] The new Provenience scowled at Xando’s assertion. [Color=Red]“Do you think that I honestly care? The villagers were weak and thought they could have freedom once before. Our dragon father demonstrated his power by bringing you all back together after the weak Provenience fled and stayed away.”[/Color] Charis spoke up to refute Tierna’s words. There was a stern sense of simmering anger behind her tone. [Color=Orange]“That is where we are different, Provenience.”[/Color] Charis couldn’t believe the amount of freedom she felt in speaking that title in reference to another person. [Color=Orange]“We would fight for your freedom while you would desire that the villagers die so you may become powerful. I once thought the same as you. I once thought that the title of Provenience would give me great power. But what I have learned is that the Provenience is simply bred until they are useless for producing offspring any more. Then, they are consumed. There is no glory waiting for you. You desire a power that was never yours to grasp. We seek to give you true power through your freedom.”[/Color] The new Provenience snapped a reply back to Charis. [Color=Red]“You speak to cover your own failing. You couldn’t handle becoming the Provenience so you stayed away from the power of our dragon father. And if what you had to say was even remotely true, why did you compel me to come here through the power of mind control that your friend the witch uses?”[/Color] Rhema had enough of being called a witch. Her voice raised in volume as she answered the new Provenience’s claims. [Color=PaleGreen]“Your dragon father could not be counted on being gone for long. We could divert him from the cave for only so long. We didn’t have the luxury of taking our time. You were being argumentative, as would be expected. I saw an opportunity to win you over without explaining it all in the dragon’s chamber. What was important was getting you here safely. We promised that much to your father.”[/Color] The new Provenience winced at the mention of her father. She was obviously still angry with seeing her father bound. She was angry enough that she had missed a pair of people entering the hidden alcove behind Rhema and Charis. A frail voice came from one of the newcomers. [Color=Lime]“Listen to them, child. They speak the truth. You are to be commended for your desire to serve our dragon father, but you must let go of that blind obedience.”[/Color] Rhema and Charis didn’t need to turn around to know the speaker. Druff had entered the chamber. A second voice continued where Druff left off. This softer and more feminine voice did catch Charis and Rhema by surprise. [Color=Lime]“Yes, Tierna. Your actions are commendable indeed. You have made your father and me proud. But you are here with us now. You can raise your unborn children in peace without fear of suffering under our dragon father. You can raise your children with us alive.”[/Color] Darrok tried to look from his position to where his wife stood. He could not see her, but his face revealed that he was obviously pleased that she was safe. Simply hearing her voice softened his expression. He spoke to his daughter softly. [Color=Lime]“Tierna, they have bound me because I wanted to go against them. But now that you are all here I see the error of my ways. I do not blame them because I did not have the necessary faith to see their combined strength. Don’t be angry on my behalf. You have enough to think about without being angry on my behalf.”[/Color] The new Provenience scowled at the words of her father. The scowl was not in anger as much as it was in recognition of the complication that had taken her life by storm over the past few hours. She darted the focus of her eyes around the room from person to person. There were certainly too many people involved now to solve this dilemma with violence. Before the new Provenience could respond, Druff’s voice filled the cavern again. [Color=Lime]“Friends, I believe that Darrok has truly seen the error of his ways. I believe that he desires freedom as much as the rest of us and no longer feels any loyalty to our dragon father. I ask that in an attempt to make a show for Tierna’s sake that you release Darrok to my honor.”[/Color] Xando spoke as well. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation before he had brought the new Provenience into the room. [Color=Lime]“On my honor as well. I will stand beside Druff and guarantee that Darrok’s allegiance has shifted away from our father dragon.”[/Color] Charis turned to Rhema, giving her the authority to speak on behalf of the rescue attempt. Rhema nodded slowly to the affirmative. [Color=PaleGreen]“There is likely little comfort any of them would find in their village. I would be surprised if their father dragon has not returned by now and found his Provenience gone and the village empty. Should they return they would find themselves with their father dragon’s fury focused solely on them.”[/Color] A grim smile passed over her lips, knowing that her speech was intended more for Darrok and the new Provenience that anyone else. Charis nodded approvingly. [Color=Orange]“Besides, we need to start moving the supplies to the hall deeper in the mountain. There the mountain will truly provide shelter for us as long as we need it. Xando, free him and get the people ready to receive supplies. When we move, we’ll move as many of the supplies at first as we can.”[/Color] Xando freed Darrok, and with the help of Druff and Darrok’s wife they brought the new Provenience among the people. Tierna turned to face the cave entrance secretly wishing she could return to Quehalost. As she looked out the entrance a fair distance away she could not see the figure approaching from the forest. The light-gray figure slowly approached the entrance knowing that the rendezvous was to occur within this space. As it reached the entrance to the tunnel it met a force that it could not penetrate. The ghostly figure was bound to Quehalost. The same power that kept the figure from properly entering the afterlife also kept the figure from meeting up with the freedom fighters gathering beneath the mountain. It stood alone at the cave entrance, unable to go any further. [Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section] Inside the hidden chamber, Xando brought the new Provenience to Darrok. “I told you that he was safe and here for you to see.” The new Provenience smiled for a second before she noticed that her father was bound. A look of anger immediately surged over her face. “Why have you bound him? Is he not to be free with the rest of the village?” And the sound of her voice, Darrok looked up to the face of his daughter. “Tierna, is that you?” The name Tierna was of a draconic origin and Darrok spoke the name softly with a great deal of affection. Xando stepped away from the new Provenience as he explained the condition of her father. “He is bound because he stepped in the way of the coming of freedom to the village. His intent was to keep our people enslaved under the wrath of our dragon father. Until we are free without repercussion of the dragon father’s wrath we unfortunately cannot trust him.” The new Provenience shot a confused look to Xando. “You proclaim freedom for all yet deny it to my own father?” Darrok looked up to his daughter. “Tierna, do not be upset. I did not believe that they could save you since you were so close to our dragon father all the time. If they could not save you, I was not going to abandon you to face the wrath of our dragon father alone.” Xando interrupted. “He attempted to warn our dragon father of our plan. His action would have put us all in danger. In fact, if the rumors are true that you are indeed carrying the crossbred children of dragon and Drakontai we would have likely all been killed under his wrath. We could not let that happen.” The new Provenience was no longer buying the explanation. She looked angrily upon Xando. Her respect for the village elder was beginning to grow thin at the outrage against her father. Perhaps more importantly, her anger helped her overcome the loose control that Rhema had been able to maintain so far. Outside the hidden chamber Rhema’s eyes flashed open in sudden awareness. She released Charis from the comforting embrace and pushed back far enough to catch Charis’ eyes with her own. Her eyes glanced into the darkness of the antechamber where the food stores were being kept. At once Charis knew something was wrong. She quickly asked Rhema what had alerted her senses. “Rhema? What’s wrong? Did you hear something?” Rhema shook her head from side to side. “No, more like I felt something. Grab your pick and follow me. We need to hurry to keep order.” Inside the room, the new Provenience saw the movement at the entrance to the cave. Her eyes focused beyond Xando upon Charis and Rhema as they came into the room. Rhema came first and was unarmed. She had her hands open in a direction towards the new Provenience. Charis followed at her heels with her pick already drawn. There was a menacing expression upon her face. Rhema broke the silence, not desiring to give the new Provenience a chance to talk. “Listen to me, Provenience. You are free. Your family has been saved. There is no reason to be angry.” As Rhema spoke, Charis stepped slightly ahead of Rhema and stood to her right. She stood with her legs spread wide for balance. The new Provenience could tell that she was readying herself against any kind of attack. Tierna wisely chose to speak rather than act. “No reason to be angry? You use your mind controlling witch powers upon me to trick me to come here willingly and I have no reason to be angry? And when I do come here I find that my father has been bound and his freedom taken away? What reason do I have to believe you and your words of freedom? How long will you keep him bound?” Xando gestured calmly with his hands in an attempt to diffuse the new Provenience’s anger. “Provenience, surely you can understand why all of these precautions were made. The necessity to bind your father was for the sake of the village. Had your father succeeded we would likely be dead!” The new Provenience scowled at Xando’s assertion. “Do you think that I honestly care? The villagers were weak and thought they could have freedom once before. Our dragon father demonstrated his power by bringing you all back together after the weak Provenience fled and stayed away.” Charis spoke up to refute Tierna’s words. There was a stern sense of simmering anger behind her tone. “That is where we are different, Provenience.” Charis couldn’t believe the amount of freedom she felt in speaking that title in reference to another person. “We would fight for your freedom while you would desire that the villagers die so you may become powerful. I once thought the same as you. I once thought that the title of Provenience would give me great power. But what I have learned is that the Provenience is simply bred until they are useless for producing offspring any more. Then, they are consumed. There is no glory waiting for you. You desire a power that was never yours to grasp. We seek to give you true power through your freedom.” The new Provenience snapped a reply back to Charis. “You speak to cover your own failing. You couldn’t handle becoming the Provenience so you stayed away from the power of our dragon father. And if what you had to say was even remotely true, why did you compel me to come here through the power of mind control that your friend the witch uses?” Rhema had enough of being called a witch. Her voice raised in volume as she answered the new Provenience’s claims. “Your dragon father could not be counted on being gone for long. We could divert him from the cave for only so long. We didn’t have the luxury of taking our time. You were being argumentative, as would be expected. I saw an opportunity to win you over without explaining it all in the dragon’s chamber. What was important was getting you here safely. We promised that much to your father.” The new Provenience winced at the mention of her father. She was obviously still angry with seeing her father bound. She was angry enough that she had missed a pair of people entering the hidden alcove behind Rhema and Charis. A frail voice came from one of the newcomers. “Listen to them, child. They speak the truth. You are to be commended for your desire to serve our dragon father, but you must let go of that blind obedience.” Rhema and Charis didn’t need to turn around to know the speaker. Druff had entered the chamber. A second voice continued where Druff left off. This softer and more feminine voice did catch Charis and Rhema by surprise. “Yes, Tierna. Your actions are commendable indeed. You have made your father and me proud. But you are here with us now. You can raise your unborn children in peace without fear of suffering under our dragon father. You can raise your children with us alive.” Darrok tried to look from his position to where his wife stood. He could not see her, but his face revealed that he was obviously pleased that she was safe. Simply hearing her voice softened his expression. He spoke to his daughter softly. “Tierna, they have bound me because I wanted to go against them. But now that you are all here I see the error of my ways. I do not blame them because I did not have the necessary faith to see their combined strength. Don’t be angry on my behalf. You have enough to think about without being angry on my behalf.” The new Provenience scowled at the words of her father. The scowl was not in anger as much as it was in recognition of the complication that had taken her life by storm over the past few hours. She darted the focus of her eyes around the room from person to person. There were certainly too many people involved now to solve this dilemma with violence. Before the new Provenience could respond, Druff’s voice filled the cavern again. “Friends, I believe that Darrok has truly seen the error of his ways. I believe that he desires freedom as much as the rest of us and no longer feels any loyalty to our dragon father. I ask that in an attempt to make a show for Tierna’s sake that you release Darrok to my honor.” Xando spoke as well. Perhaps he had misjudged the situation before he had brought the new Provenience into the room. “On my honor as well. I will stand beside Druff and guarantee that Darrok’s allegiance has shifted away from our father dragon.” Charis turned to Rhema, giving her the authority to speak on behalf of the rescue attempt. Rhema nodded slowly to the affirmative. “There is likely little comfort any of them would find in their village. I would be surprised if their father dragon has not returned by now and found his Provenience gone and the village empty. Should they return they would find themselves with their father dragon’s fury focused solely on them.” A grim smile passed over her lips, knowing that her speech was intended more for Darrok and the new Provenience that anyone else. Charis nodded approvingly. “Besides, we need to start moving the supplies to the hall deeper in the mountain. There the mountain will truly provide shelter for us as long as we need it. Xando, free him and get the people ready to receive supplies. When we move, we’ll move as many of the supplies at first as we can.” Xando freed Darrok, and with the help of Druff and Darrok’s wife they brought the new Provenience among the people. Tierna turned to face the cave entrance secretly wishing she could return to Quehalost. As she looked out the entrance a fair distance away she could not see the figure approaching from the forest. The light-gray figure slowly approached the entrance knowing that the rendezvous was to occur within this space. As it reached the entrance to the tunnel it met a force that it could not penetrate. The ghostly figure was bound to Quehalost. The same power that kept the figure from properly entering the afterlife also kept the figure from meeting up with the freedom fighters gathering beneath the mountain. It stood alone at the cave entrance, unable to go any further. [/Sblock] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Bitterness Overcome: (Now A Completed Story!)
Top