"Out of the Frying Pan" - Book II: Catching the Spark (Part Two) - {complete}
- Thread starter el-remmen
- Start date
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
**Specail thanks to Brian (Beorth's Player) for providing me wit ha write up of his candle analogy**
Session #30 (part II)
“Please forgive my actions, lords and lady, if this thing the human god thinks is good is an affront to you,” Kazrack said under his breath, never taking his eyes from the robed monsters before them.
There was an eerie silence only broken by the raspy breathing of the scores of bugbears looking down at the party.
Ratchis took half a step forward, “Do you speak common?” He wondered about the figure before him. The half-orc had fought and hunted gnolls since before ever becoming part of human society, his knowledge of them was the one constant between his previous life and his life as a Friar of Nephthys, but this was new to him.
“Heh,” the gnoll cleared his throat with a laugh-like grunt. “Yes… You have finally arrived. I guess that give you plenty of time to work on the sickle before the next full moon.”
“I guess Osiris told you of our coming?” Ratchis asked.
“We knew of your coming. You are Ratchis?” the gnoll’s eyes did not leave those of the half-orc.
“Yes.”
“That one there,” the gnoll pointed to Kazrack without looking at him. “The Son of Jocham(128)? That is Kazrack?”
“I am,” Kazrack said, speaking up.
“I am Mardak the Elder,” the gnoll said. “My associates and I make up the Circle of the Thorn. It is through us that you shall repay this debt to Osiris, Ratchis and Kazrack. I can sense that the weight of your promise lies heavily on two of your companions as well, though for the girl it is closer than she thinks. We are the servants of the Beast Gods, whom Osiris leads in the Great Council of Beasts.”
“We appreciate that you sent a guide for us,” Beorth said, respectfully.
“We sent nothing,” Mardak scowled. “You will have to wait for the next full moon to finish the sickle, as you have arrived too late to fashion it in time for this one, for tonight is the last night of it – but at least now you will have plenty of time to prepare for the next full moon, and have the blade ready in order to do the finishing touches under the pale light of Mind’s Eie.”
“Do you have a forge?” Kazrack asked.
“In the Glade of Hennaire,” Mardak replied.
“Can you heal my arm? It is broken,” Kazrack asked.
“Heh. Perhaps by the time of your first blows it will be healed of its own accord. Perhaps not, in which case perhaps there is something we can do. There is no need to be impatient.” The gnoll took no pains to hide his disgust for the dwarf.
“And what of that woman you have prisoner?” Kazrack his own anger and disgust becoming apparent as he asked. “Why do have her?”
“That is none of your concern. All that should concern you is the accomplishing of your tasks well,” Mardak said.
“I must know what you plan to do with that woman, or I will do nothing for you, whether it be Osiris’ will or no,” Kazrack said, stomping his foot.
Mardak let out a grunt, and the painted and shaved hulking bugbear at his side took a half-step forward.
“If you really want to know, we will answer any question, but you must pay us,” Mardak said, putting out a hand to hold back the bugbear. “If you tear out a fingernail for each question. It will please Hezza.” Mardak nodded towards the bugbear.
“How can ask for a such a thing?” Kazrack asked, aghast.
“Oh, son of Jocham? Do you fear a little pain? Does it turn the stomach of your legendary stalwart race? I am shocked,” Mardak’s sarcasm dripped from his maw.
“How many questions will you answer if we chop off a finger?” Beorth asked.
“You need not do that. How will you carry out your tasks ahead without your fingers? We only want your fingernails,” Mardak replied.
Ratchis did not hesitate, putting his index finger to his teeth he ripped out the fingernail with a muted grunt. He stepped forward and handed it to the gnoll. Mardak smiled a gnoll’s smile, revealing his teeth in an intimidating grimace. He handed the nail to Hezza.
The rest of the party looked at Ratchis with shock.
“What is your question?” Mardak asked Ratchis.
“How did you come into possession of this woman?” The half-orc asked.
“She is a criminal a murderess sent to us to perform her sentence,” Mardak replied.
Ratchis turned to Kazrack and held up his bloody finger, “Do I need to confirm what they will do to her?”
“No!” Kazrack shouted, his face flushed with anger. He muttered. “If I must do this let it be done as quickly as possible.”
“Do you think it is enough to simply accomplish your tasks? “ Mardak said. You must do them and do them well, without hesitations and to the best of your abilities. For you stand now on one side of a balance, and for each mark against you a stone is placed upon the opposite platter, until… you are toppled off Osiris’ scale all together. This is a steep debt you have incurred. I do hope it was worth it.”
Jeremy gulped, and Beorth turned and glared at him.
“You know Ratchis, do you remember from the map if…?” Kazrack began.
“Do we bore you Son of Jocham?” Mardak snapped. “We will brook no disrespect, and no violation of the laws and rules of this place. It might be in your best interest to pay close attention to all that will be said to you here.”
“What will my task be?” Ratchis asked. “I assume that I will not have to offer up a fingernail for the answer to that question?”
The small robed figure let out a high-pitched chortle. Mardak snorted.
“You task is much more straightforward, bastard of Ashronk,” Mardak said. “There is a creature you must utterly destroy. It is not of this world, and it does not belong here. It comes from a place where it is the only thing that is, and in this world it seeks to assimilate everything into itself. It can take on the shapes of the things it assimilate. It is a parasite. It will infect the land with its unreality. It kills the beasts of the woods for no purpose, and it also slays men, but we care not of men as much, for men too must be cut from the world like dead wood, from time to time.”
Kazrack snarled.
Mardak looked right into the dwarf’s eyes. “Worry not, Son of Jocham, for the sons of stone act even as our axes and our fires that seed the forest anew, if they too will be burned up in time.”
The gnoll druid paused.
“Beware of this creature. It can take the form of more than one creature at a time,” Mardak continued. “In time it will grow so large as to endanger all of Derome-Delem and eventually all of Aquerra. I’m sure by then some other ‘heroes’ of greater power and renown than any of you shall ever have wil ldeal with it, but we want it stopped before it comes to that.” He said the word “heroes” as if it were a profane word.
“Elder,” Martin said, stepping up to come along side Ratchis and Beorth. “When you say this thing can take many forms, do you mean it can be in two places at once, or that it can take upon itself more than one form?”
“What I said,” was Mardak’s only reply. “It has been recently been seen in an area south of here where wild ponies gather, and it is assumed it can take the form of a pony.”
“How can we tell it from the real thing?” Ratchis asked.
“That is for you to figure out,” Mardak replied. “And now it is time for you to be brought to where you may make camp and where you will be spending each night.”
The short figure hopped forward and pulled back his hood, revealing a dog-headed humanoid with dark blue fur and big cute puppy-dog eyes.
“A kobold!” Martin gasped.
“Effner here will guide you,” Mardak said, gesturing to the kobold.
The party picked up their packs and gear, and made ready to follow the kobold who walked over to their left and gestured for them to follow. Two other of the robed figures moved to follow as well.
“One last thing,” Mardak said, calling their attention back. “We need not even tell you this, son of Jocham, but on the night of full moon in the Glade of Hennaire there may be those that come and try to stop you. Let this be a warning to you. In fact, because of them, this sweet little tender morsel,” he pointed to Jana. “Should not be there at all.”
“What are they?” Martin asked.
“You know the price for answers to your questions.” Mardak replied. The party heaved a collective sigh, feeling the darkness of the wood, and the musk of bugbears, gnolls and other typically evil humanoids heavily upon them. They turned and followed Effner.
The party was led to the left across the clearing, and towards the thick woods again. The way they were led was still flanked by tall hedges of thorns, but the way was much wider, and there seemed to be an actual path instead of it opening for them as they walked. Behind them, they could hear the hooting and screaming of nearly hundred bugbears in the clearing the left.
“I cannot believe this,” Jeremy muttered as they left the clearing. “All of this… because of me!”
“Yes,” Martin said, probably a little more scathingly than he intended.
“Or forfeit our lives,” Beorth added, and Jeremy head hung low.
Effner the Kobold brought the party to a much smaller, and had a small rocky outcropping with a dead log that had fallen across the top of it, creating a small shelter.
“Knap! Knap!” the Kobold said, prefacing his halting common in a high-pitched yapping voice. “Don’t leave here, until we come and get you. Um, unless you really want.” He smiled and laughed.
He joined the other two figures who had brought up the rear, and then turned back to the party. “Knap! We will come to get you in the morning to bring you to get your gear and then to the forge.”
The three druids left the clearing. The party was left alone. They began to make camp, but Kazrack simply sat in the dirt beneath the rocks.
“I was told Osiris was a good god,” Kazrack said, slipping his chain shirt up over his head.
“Osiris is not a good god,” Beorth replied, matter of factly.
“You could have said so!” Martin exclaimed.
“He was not there when we used the urn,” Kazrack said, resignedly. “So, I have sword to help a god that is not good?”
“Yes,” Beorth replied again.
“I think Osiris is a good god,” Ratchis said, dropping his stuff and starting to get a small fire going. “He stands for the balance of nature. I don’t see how else you can describe a being who stands for the very cycle of life.”
“You could also say that he is uncaring with little regard to good or evil,” Kazrack said.
“Yes,” Martin said.
“So it is not ‘good’,” the dwarf reiterated.
“It is ‘good” to me,” Ratchis said.
“Well, I’m sorry friend, but that’s not good enough for me,” Kazrack said.
“It should be!” Ratchis yelled, getting angry. “We have all worked together for a long time and haved saved each others lives many times! Don’t you think we should trust each other enough to take each others words for things?”
“But we’re dealing with gnolls! And bugbears! And… and gnolls!” Kazrack yelled back, spittle flying from his mouth.
“Hush!” Martin said.
“And, I am half-orc,” Ratchis said, more quietly.
“And you’re half-human,” Martin added.
Jana simply watched the exchange from the over by the small fire, tucked under the make-shift shelter, while Jeremy set up their four man tent.
“And gnolls are evil!” Kazrack insisted.
“They tend to be evil,” Ratchis said. “But even I who had an enmity against them my whole life sees that that is not always the case.”
“So, Osiris in not evil?” Kazrack asked Beorth.
“No, Osiris is not evil,” the paladin who serves the son of the nature-god replied. (129)
“And Mardak serves Osiris, so perhaps he is not evil,” Ratchis said, referring to the gnoll druid.
“Perhaps?” the dwarf roared. “This is ridiculous!! I would have never sworn this oath if I had known…!”
Jeremy looked over at the dwarf, sadly from where he was putting up the tent.
“Too late for that,” Ratchis said, callously.
“Anything else obvious you wish to tell me,” Kazrack snapped, turning to the half-orc.
“Other than that you’re a pain in my backside? No,” Ratchis said.
“Kazrack? Perhaps I can explain,” Beorth said, stepping between the dwarf and the half-orc with his hands outspread.
“Right now, the only thing that needs explaining is how doing this is not betraying my gods,” Kazrack said, his anger increasing.
Beorth took in a quiet breath. “Kazrack, I understand why the fulfillment of your quest causes you turmoil. I have learned a great deal since I left the monastery a few months ago and I have seen much which troubles me, but I have started to understand the nature of the world we live in. Please allow me to explain it to you according to my beliefs.”
“Please, do.” Kazrack answered more quietly, trying to breathe through his seething.
Beorth began to rummage through his pack and pulled out a candle. He lit the candle and its light filled up the darkening clearing. He sat down before the candle, and motioned to Kazack and Ratchis to join him. They hesitated, but then complied.
“When I meditate, Kazrack, I frequently light a candle. This candle brings light and a focus for my thoughts. The candle represents the Gods of Good--- Ra and Anubis--- to me. While the darkness where the candlelight does not reach represents the Evil Gods-- Seker and Set.”
“It can be said, can it not, hat the people of this world are neither entirely good nor entirely evil? We are each capable of ‘good’ actions and ‘evil’ actions, and that the world is a battleground for both Good and Evil.”
“The Druids of Osiris are pledged to striking and maintaining a balance between those two opposing forces. They operate in this area here.” Beorth stood and slowly begins to walk the circular penumbra created by the candlelight and the darkness. “Their actions are always calculated to maintain a balance between the darkness and the light. In some ways, it seems that they are acting in an entirely ‘evil’ manner, “ Beorth took a step further into the darkness and away from the light, “but those actions are only taken to maintain the balance that they are sworn to uphold. “Evil is necessary to prevent Good from holding sway in the world. The same would apply to seemingly ‘good’ actions.”
Beorth paused for a brief moment to be sure that Kazrack is still following his argument.
“When I meditate I like to face the light of the candle, but I have also faced away from the candle. The candle provides warmth and light and I do not like to turn my back on that. When I meditate on darkness, I can only find coldness and emptiness. I do not find any comfort or solace in the darkness. It is for that reason that I know I must remain faithful to my god and his power. I do not like to be separated from the warmth and the comfort of my god’s power.”
The paladin paused.
“You must have faith, Kazrack, that the Druids are acting according to their faith and that they are only trying to promote a balance between Good and Evil. No matter how much their beliefs seemingly conflict with your own, they are not evil creatures.”
Kazrack stood and turned away from Beorth and Ratchis, who also stood, but then he turned back saying, “The only balance that is good is found in fair trade, and is found in the blade, but to find virtue in the balance you speak of is to deny that things can all be good.”
“You say a blade is good?” Martin asked, coming back into the debate.
“It can be used for good,” Kazrack said. “Or for evil. It is balanced, as I said.”
Martin paused and then tried to remember what he learned in his ‘Parables and Analogies’ class at the Academy of Wizardry, “If a forest grows for 100 years without a fire, when a fire comes the forest will be destroyed. If a nation knows only peace for 10 generations, their swords will rust in the armories and the people will all knowledge of war, and when war comes the nation will be destroyed. Do you see what I am getting at?”
But Kazrack did not get a chance to answer, because Jana stood and addressed him.
“You know Kazrack, I am disappointed in you,” she said. “Everywhere we have gone in this kingdom, at least some person has called you names or treated you badly because you are a dwarf, and look at Ratchis he is descended from the enemy of your people, but I don’t think one of us doubts his good heart, but still you pre-judge. Have you learned nothing in all these months?”
Martin jumped back in, “I do not trust goblins and kobolds, and the like. They always raided the villages of my people when I was growing up, and a goblin raiding party took my father’s hand, but if these creatures are the chosen of Osiris, then I will not question his judgment.”
“And if a sword is not inherently evil, than neither is the sickle you have sworn to forge,” Beorth added, tardily.
“You are correct,” Kazrack said, looking at Jana, and then Beorth and finally at Martin. “I do not wish to be rude, but I must ask my gods for guidance on the morrow.”
Kazrack stepped over to Beorth and reached up to put a hand on the paladin’s arm, “You are the most like a dwarf amongst us. I want you to know I honor you for that.”
“If only my religion allowed me to grow a beard,” Beorth joked, breaking the tension with a bit of humor.
It was decided that Martin would take watch most of the night since he did not need to sleep much (thanks to his ring), and that he would wake Kazrack to take the last watch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
(128) Jocham is a famous dwarven hero seen now as a saint, who served as the champion of the last unified dwarven kingdom, in the Second Age.
(129) Anubis – Guardian of the Dead, is son of Osiris and Isis, as are the gods, Nephthys, Set and Horus.
Session #30 (part II)
“Please forgive my actions, lords and lady, if this thing the human god thinks is good is an affront to you,” Kazrack said under his breath, never taking his eyes from the robed monsters before them.
There was an eerie silence only broken by the raspy breathing of the scores of bugbears looking down at the party.
Ratchis took half a step forward, “Do you speak common?” He wondered about the figure before him. The half-orc had fought and hunted gnolls since before ever becoming part of human society, his knowledge of them was the one constant between his previous life and his life as a Friar of Nephthys, but this was new to him.
“Heh,” the gnoll cleared his throat with a laugh-like grunt. “Yes… You have finally arrived. I guess that give you plenty of time to work on the sickle before the next full moon.”
“I guess Osiris told you of our coming?” Ratchis asked.
“We knew of your coming. You are Ratchis?” the gnoll’s eyes did not leave those of the half-orc.
“Yes.”
“That one there,” the gnoll pointed to Kazrack without looking at him. “The Son of Jocham(128)? That is Kazrack?”
“I am,” Kazrack said, speaking up.
“I am Mardak the Elder,” the gnoll said. “My associates and I make up the Circle of the Thorn. It is through us that you shall repay this debt to Osiris, Ratchis and Kazrack. I can sense that the weight of your promise lies heavily on two of your companions as well, though for the girl it is closer than she thinks. We are the servants of the Beast Gods, whom Osiris leads in the Great Council of Beasts.”
“We appreciate that you sent a guide for us,” Beorth said, respectfully.
“We sent nothing,” Mardak scowled. “You will have to wait for the next full moon to finish the sickle, as you have arrived too late to fashion it in time for this one, for tonight is the last night of it – but at least now you will have plenty of time to prepare for the next full moon, and have the blade ready in order to do the finishing touches under the pale light of Mind’s Eie.”
“Do you have a forge?” Kazrack asked.
“In the Glade of Hennaire,” Mardak replied.
“Can you heal my arm? It is broken,” Kazrack asked.
“Heh. Perhaps by the time of your first blows it will be healed of its own accord. Perhaps not, in which case perhaps there is something we can do. There is no need to be impatient.” The gnoll took no pains to hide his disgust for the dwarf.
“And what of that woman you have prisoner?” Kazrack his own anger and disgust becoming apparent as he asked. “Why do have her?”
“That is none of your concern. All that should concern you is the accomplishing of your tasks well,” Mardak said.
“I must know what you plan to do with that woman, or I will do nothing for you, whether it be Osiris’ will or no,” Kazrack said, stomping his foot.
Mardak let out a grunt, and the painted and shaved hulking bugbear at his side took a half-step forward.
“If you really want to know, we will answer any question, but you must pay us,” Mardak said, putting out a hand to hold back the bugbear. “If you tear out a fingernail for each question. It will please Hezza.” Mardak nodded towards the bugbear.
“How can ask for a such a thing?” Kazrack asked, aghast.
“Oh, son of Jocham? Do you fear a little pain? Does it turn the stomach of your legendary stalwart race? I am shocked,” Mardak’s sarcasm dripped from his maw.
“How many questions will you answer if we chop off a finger?” Beorth asked.
“You need not do that. How will you carry out your tasks ahead without your fingers? We only want your fingernails,” Mardak replied.
Ratchis did not hesitate, putting his index finger to his teeth he ripped out the fingernail with a muted grunt. He stepped forward and handed it to the gnoll. Mardak smiled a gnoll’s smile, revealing his teeth in an intimidating grimace. He handed the nail to Hezza.
The rest of the party looked at Ratchis with shock.
“What is your question?” Mardak asked Ratchis.
“How did you come into possession of this woman?” The half-orc asked.
“She is a criminal a murderess sent to us to perform her sentence,” Mardak replied.
Ratchis turned to Kazrack and held up his bloody finger, “Do I need to confirm what they will do to her?”
“No!” Kazrack shouted, his face flushed with anger. He muttered. “If I must do this let it be done as quickly as possible.”
“Do you think it is enough to simply accomplish your tasks? “ Mardak said. You must do them and do them well, without hesitations and to the best of your abilities. For you stand now on one side of a balance, and for each mark against you a stone is placed upon the opposite platter, until… you are toppled off Osiris’ scale all together. This is a steep debt you have incurred. I do hope it was worth it.”
Jeremy gulped, and Beorth turned and glared at him.
“You know Ratchis, do you remember from the map if…?” Kazrack began.
“Do we bore you Son of Jocham?” Mardak snapped. “We will brook no disrespect, and no violation of the laws and rules of this place. It might be in your best interest to pay close attention to all that will be said to you here.”
“What will my task be?” Ratchis asked. “I assume that I will not have to offer up a fingernail for the answer to that question?”
The small robed figure let out a high-pitched chortle. Mardak snorted.
“You task is much more straightforward, bastard of Ashronk,” Mardak said. “There is a creature you must utterly destroy. It is not of this world, and it does not belong here. It comes from a place where it is the only thing that is, and in this world it seeks to assimilate everything into itself. It can take on the shapes of the things it assimilate. It is a parasite. It will infect the land with its unreality. It kills the beasts of the woods for no purpose, and it also slays men, but we care not of men as much, for men too must be cut from the world like dead wood, from time to time.”
Kazrack snarled.
Mardak looked right into the dwarf’s eyes. “Worry not, Son of Jocham, for the sons of stone act even as our axes and our fires that seed the forest anew, if they too will be burned up in time.”
The gnoll druid paused.
“Beware of this creature. It can take the form of more than one creature at a time,” Mardak continued. “In time it will grow so large as to endanger all of Derome-Delem and eventually all of Aquerra. I’m sure by then some other ‘heroes’ of greater power and renown than any of you shall ever have wil ldeal with it, but we want it stopped before it comes to that.” He said the word “heroes” as if it were a profane word.
“Elder,” Martin said, stepping up to come along side Ratchis and Beorth. “When you say this thing can take many forms, do you mean it can be in two places at once, or that it can take upon itself more than one form?”
“What I said,” was Mardak’s only reply. “It has been recently been seen in an area south of here where wild ponies gather, and it is assumed it can take the form of a pony.”
“How can we tell it from the real thing?” Ratchis asked.
“That is for you to figure out,” Mardak replied. “And now it is time for you to be brought to where you may make camp and where you will be spending each night.”
The short figure hopped forward and pulled back his hood, revealing a dog-headed humanoid with dark blue fur and big cute puppy-dog eyes.
“A kobold!” Martin gasped.
“Effner here will guide you,” Mardak said, gesturing to the kobold.
The party picked up their packs and gear, and made ready to follow the kobold who walked over to their left and gestured for them to follow. Two other of the robed figures moved to follow as well.
“One last thing,” Mardak said, calling their attention back. “We need not even tell you this, son of Jocham, but on the night of full moon in the Glade of Hennaire there may be those that come and try to stop you. Let this be a warning to you. In fact, because of them, this sweet little tender morsel,” he pointed to Jana. “Should not be there at all.”
“What are they?” Martin asked.
“You know the price for answers to your questions.” Mardak replied. The party heaved a collective sigh, feeling the darkness of the wood, and the musk of bugbears, gnolls and other typically evil humanoids heavily upon them. They turned and followed Effner.
The party was led to the left across the clearing, and towards the thick woods again. The way they were led was still flanked by tall hedges of thorns, but the way was much wider, and there seemed to be an actual path instead of it opening for them as they walked. Behind them, they could hear the hooting and screaming of nearly hundred bugbears in the clearing the left.
“I cannot believe this,” Jeremy muttered as they left the clearing. “All of this… because of me!”
“Yes,” Martin said, probably a little more scathingly than he intended.
“Or forfeit our lives,” Beorth added, and Jeremy head hung low.
Effner the Kobold brought the party to a much smaller, and had a small rocky outcropping with a dead log that had fallen across the top of it, creating a small shelter.
“Knap! Knap!” the Kobold said, prefacing his halting common in a high-pitched yapping voice. “Don’t leave here, until we come and get you. Um, unless you really want.” He smiled and laughed.
He joined the other two figures who had brought up the rear, and then turned back to the party. “Knap! We will come to get you in the morning to bring you to get your gear and then to the forge.”
The three druids left the clearing. The party was left alone. They began to make camp, but Kazrack simply sat in the dirt beneath the rocks.
“I was told Osiris was a good god,” Kazrack said, slipping his chain shirt up over his head.
“Osiris is not a good god,” Beorth replied, matter of factly.
“You could have said so!” Martin exclaimed.
“He was not there when we used the urn,” Kazrack said, resignedly. “So, I have sword to help a god that is not good?”
“Yes,” Beorth replied again.
“I think Osiris is a good god,” Ratchis said, dropping his stuff and starting to get a small fire going. “He stands for the balance of nature. I don’t see how else you can describe a being who stands for the very cycle of life.”
“You could also say that he is uncaring with little regard to good or evil,” Kazrack said.
“Yes,” Martin said.
“So it is not ‘good’,” the dwarf reiterated.
“It is ‘good” to me,” Ratchis said.
“Well, I’m sorry friend, but that’s not good enough for me,” Kazrack said.
“It should be!” Ratchis yelled, getting angry. “We have all worked together for a long time and haved saved each others lives many times! Don’t you think we should trust each other enough to take each others words for things?”
“But we’re dealing with gnolls! And bugbears! And… and gnolls!” Kazrack yelled back, spittle flying from his mouth.
“Hush!” Martin said.
“And, I am half-orc,” Ratchis said, more quietly.
“And you’re half-human,” Martin added.
Jana simply watched the exchange from the over by the small fire, tucked under the make-shift shelter, while Jeremy set up their four man tent.
“And gnolls are evil!” Kazrack insisted.
“They tend to be evil,” Ratchis said. “But even I who had an enmity against them my whole life sees that that is not always the case.”
“So, Osiris in not evil?” Kazrack asked Beorth.
“No, Osiris is not evil,” the paladin who serves the son of the nature-god replied. (129)
“And Mardak serves Osiris, so perhaps he is not evil,” Ratchis said, referring to the gnoll druid.
“Perhaps?” the dwarf roared. “This is ridiculous!! I would have never sworn this oath if I had known…!”
Jeremy looked over at the dwarf, sadly from where he was putting up the tent.
“Too late for that,” Ratchis said, callously.
“Anything else obvious you wish to tell me,” Kazrack snapped, turning to the half-orc.
“Other than that you’re a pain in my backside? No,” Ratchis said.
“Kazrack? Perhaps I can explain,” Beorth said, stepping between the dwarf and the half-orc with his hands outspread.
“Right now, the only thing that needs explaining is how doing this is not betraying my gods,” Kazrack said, his anger increasing.
Beorth took in a quiet breath. “Kazrack, I understand why the fulfillment of your quest causes you turmoil. I have learned a great deal since I left the monastery a few months ago and I have seen much which troubles me, but I have started to understand the nature of the world we live in. Please allow me to explain it to you according to my beliefs.”
“Please, do.” Kazrack answered more quietly, trying to breathe through his seething.
Beorth began to rummage through his pack and pulled out a candle. He lit the candle and its light filled up the darkening clearing. He sat down before the candle, and motioned to Kazack and Ratchis to join him. They hesitated, but then complied.
“When I meditate, Kazrack, I frequently light a candle. This candle brings light and a focus for my thoughts. The candle represents the Gods of Good--- Ra and Anubis--- to me. While the darkness where the candlelight does not reach represents the Evil Gods-- Seker and Set.”
“It can be said, can it not, hat the people of this world are neither entirely good nor entirely evil? We are each capable of ‘good’ actions and ‘evil’ actions, and that the world is a battleground for both Good and Evil.”
“The Druids of Osiris are pledged to striking and maintaining a balance between those two opposing forces. They operate in this area here.” Beorth stood and slowly begins to walk the circular penumbra created by the candlelight and the darkness. “Their actions are always calculated to maintain a balance between the darkness and the light. In some ways, it seems that they are acting in an entirely ‘evil’ manner, “ Beorth took a step further into the darkness and away from the light, “but those actions are only taken to maintain the balance that they are sworn to uphold. “Evil is necessary to prevent Good from holding sway in the world. The same would apply to seemingly ‘good’ actions.”
Beorth paused for a brief moment to be sure that Kazrack is still following his argument.
“When I meditate I like to face the light of the candle, but I have also faced away from the candle. The candle provides warmth and light and I do not like to turn my back on that. When I meditate on darkness, I can only find coldness and emptiness. I do not find any comfort or solace in the darkness. It is for that reason that I know I must remain faithful to my god and his power. I do not like to be separated from the warmth and the comfort of my god’s power.”
The paladin paused.
“You must have faith, Kazrack, that the Druids are acting according to their faith and that they are only trying to promote a balance between Good and Evil. No matter how much their beliefs seemingly conflict with your own, they are not evil creatures.”
Kazrack stood and turned away from Beorth and Ratchis, who also stood, but then he turned back saying, “The only balance that is good is found in fair trade, and is found in the blade, but to find virtue in the balance you speak of is to deny that things can all be good.”
“You say a blade is good?” Martin asked, coming back into the debate.
“It can be used for good,” Kazrack said. “Or for evil. It is balanced, as I said.”
Martin paused and then tried to remember what he learned in his ‘Parables and Analogies’ class at the Academy of Wizardry, “If a forest grows for 100 years without a fire, when a fire comes the forest will be destroyed. If a nation knows only peace for 10 generations, their swords will rust in the armories and the people will all knowledge of war, and when war comes the nation will be destroyed. Do you see what I am getting at?”
But Kazrack did not get a chance to answer, because Jana stood and addressed him.
“You know Kazrack, I am disappointed in you,” she said. “Everywhere we have gone in this kingdom, at least some person has called you names or treated you badly because you are a dwarf, and look at Ratchis he is descended from the enemy of your people, but I don’t think one of us doubts his good heart, but still you pre-judge. Have you learned nothing in all these months?”
Martin jumped back in, “I do not trust goblins and kobolds, and the like. They always raided the villages of my people when I was growing up, and a goblin raiding party took my father’s hand, but if these creatures are the chosen of Osiris, then I will not question his judgment.”
“And if a sword is not inherently evil, than neither is the sickle you have sworn to forge,” Beorth added, tardily.
“You are correct,” Kazrack said, looking at Jana, and then Beorth and finally at Martin. “I do not wish to be rude, but I must ask my gods for guidance on the morrow.”
Kazrack stepped over to Beorth and reached up to put a hand on the paladin’s arm, “You are the most like a dwarf amongst us. I want you to know I honor you for that.”
“If only my religion allowed me to grow a beard,” Beorth joked, breaking the tension with a bit of humor.
It was decided that Martin would take watch most of the night since he did not need to sleep much (thanks to his ring), and that he would wake Kazrack to take the last watch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
(128) Jocham is a famous dwarven hero seen now as a saint, who served as the champion of the last unified dwarven kingdom, in the Second Age.
(129) Anubis – Guardian of the Dead, is son of Osiris and Isis, as are the gods, Nephthys, Set and Horus.
Last edited:
Cyronax
Explorer
I recognize the Circle of the Thorn from a not so recent Dungeon issue. I've used them in my most recent campaign (changed the names though), but your take on them is really cool. I look forward to seeing this plot play out. Wonderful update as always. Great narrative too!
I also want to compliment your players on their ability to take your campaign world and make it their own. That whole exchange was beautiful.
C.I.D.
I also want to compliment your players on their ability to take your campaign world and make it their own. That whole exchange was beautiful.
C.I.D.
Pillars of Hercules
First Post
Very Nice!
Excellent, Nemm. What roleplaying! The Circle of Thorn provides a heck of a backdrop to raise those moral dilemmas for Kazrack and Beorth that I discussed in an earlier post.
And fingernails. What a nice touch!
Excellent, Nemm. What roleplaying! The Circle of Thorn provides a heck of a backdrop to raise those moral dilemmas for Kazrack and Beorth that I discussed in an earlier post.
And fingernails. What a nice touch!
madriel
First Post
Kudos to Beorth's player for rping the religious aspect of a paladin. Too often paladins get played as prudish fighters who can lay on hands and turn undead. It's refreshing to see the spiritual side played out.
It's great that you show the side effects of Martin's ring. It may seem like a cool little toy, but its effects are unnatural, especially for poor Thomas. That, to me, is the mark of a great DM. Magic items shouldn't just have an effect without the consequences.
It's great that you show the side effects of Martin's ring. It may seem like a cool little toy, but its effects are unnatural, especially for poor Thomas. That, to me, is the mark of a great DM. Magic items shouldn't just have an effect without the consequences.
MavrickWeirdo
First Post
Amazing
Very Impressive. I am looking forward to the next month of living in the Circle of Thorns. Goblins, Kobolds, Bugbears, Gnolls. I'm surprised you didn't throw in a Centaur or Mynotaur.
Will Jana be able to persue her quest here?
Very Impressive. I am looking forward to the next month of living in the Circle of Thorns. Goblins, Kobolds, Bugbears, Gnolls. I'm surprised you didn't throw in a Centaur or Mynotaur.
Will Jana be able to persue her quest here?
Dawn
First Post
It’s taken me quite a while to catch up and be able to post. That last session of RPing was fantastic! It must be great to have players that can go back and forth like that.
Let me get this straight, the party will have to stay with the bugbears until the next full moon? What about the other quests?
Let me get this straight, the party will have to stay with the bugbears until the next full moon? What about the other quests?
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Cyronax[/i] I recognize the Circle of the Thorn from a not so recent Dungeon issue. I've used them in my most recent campaign (changed the names though) said:
Yeah, I love my players - I love being able to sit back and just listen to them go. . . Though I must admit to missing Chance, and the ability he afforded me to make wisecracks at their expense, occasionall.
As for the other quests: Martin's is the most obscure - as they do not know how to begin seeking The Book of Black Circles; Jana's might be "closer than she expects" as Mardak said - and Ratchis may get the chance to persue his while the prepatory work for the sickle is going on - unless of course something happens (which it usually does) - as for the other things to worry about (the gnomes, the quaggoth, the drow, Richard and Rindalith) I guess those are on the back-burner until at least this portion of the quests for Osiris is completed.
Thanks for all the kindness. . . Horacio, drop by the Aquerra boards and let us know if you are still interested in the PBP game (and we still have room for one more player)
Expect another installment by the weekend.
Similar Threads
