Spheres of Influence:Rhiannon in Jepardy? GAME
- Thread starter Tilmamir
- Start date
Tinuviel
First Post
Inwe looks around in wonder at the amount of pieces collected here. For her also, the age is not particularly impressive, as "old" is judged a little differently in elven terms. More interesting is learning more of the history of this place and of the church. But she also is ready to get started on what they are really seeking.
Tilmamir
First Post
The Library private rooms
As the group approaches the front hall again, Msr. Westcott turns into a small alcove, and opens a concealed door and leads you into a csmall chamber. He strikes a sun rod which immediately illuninates the room.
The room is only ten by ten, and has a stairs leading down along the south wall. You follow him down the stairs, through a series of passages, rooms, vaults, laboratories, and libraries. It is apparent that for all the show and grandeure of the halls above, the academic knowledge and true treasures of the museum are not available for public display.
Msr. Wescott leads you into another small room, with drawings and files obviously about the Staff of the Elioim.
"Here are the documents we have relating to the Staff.
We have arranged the documents, mostly by date - oldest in back. I must request you handle these documents carefully. While they have been copied many times in the thousands of years since their writing, they are still fragile and precious."
Relsyn lights up and immediately heads for one of the older stacks of paper. He scans through sets of reports, written in Old Rhiann, from the first crusade, mentioning hearing about a staff in the south. Another set of papers report on an investigation into the same staff. It claims that the staff was said to herald the arrival of the Great Ships with the Remnant on them. The aborigional people say it flashed and flamed some weeks before the arrival of the ships - and grew so hot that the chamber walls of its shrine were blackened.
There is a document telling the tale of the origin of the staff.
The Story of Creation, the Elioin, and Eli's loss.[sblock]
It is said that soon after Eli formed the world, he traveled his creation. Through air, water, and earth he traveled. Wherever he went, he lived for a time with the creatures he encountered, giving them a gift as he left to continue his journey.
The first land he came to was Eire, where he encountered the races we now know as the strongheart or true races. His presence alone granted them long life, good health, and improved abilities. He lived long with them, sharing his knowledge and power with all of them. Thus his gift to them was the knowledge of the workings of the world and the joy of himself.
Aside: Over many generations, they forgot his gift and instead turned their mighty civilization to proud acts and boasting. Their acts were so atrocious to Eli that he finally destroyed the civilization, and even their blessed land, so they could never go home. The remnants of that nation settled as refugees on the land now known as Rhiannon, contrite and devoted to Eli and worshiping him in atonement.
He traveled other races with wings, who could float on the breezes over island paradises. He walked the depths with races burrowing deep in the hard stone at the core of the world. He swam and raced with the glistening races of the far off sea. Everywhere he went, and in whatever form he traveled, he gave his gifts as he moved along.
Then he came across a simple race, the Elioin, both beautiful and fragile. He loved them as children, for their simple ways and artful joy pleased him. They were both translucent and jewel tones. Their emotions played across their glassy skin as oil travels on water - shimmering, glowing, and shadowing. He made merry with them as they danced around the evening fires. He swam with them as they fished in the sea. Eli was happy to be in their presence and they loved him. When it was time to leave, he cried for the separation from his beloved. A single tear fell from his eye and landed on the land. The tear danced there on the land and formed a gem of great worth and power. He fashioned a staff for it and gave it to the Elioin for protection and comfort.
The staff, drawn out of a living oak, was smooth and hard. The depth to the grain was unmatched. As Eli picked up the gem, its dazzling whiteness burst into rainbows of color. The Elioim clapped joyously in the sight. He brought it close to the top of the staff and caused the staff to grow up and around the gem. The beauty of the staff and gem together was unique.
As Eli passed the staff to the Elioi patriarch, the gem slid down the staff, resting unseen in a nest of solid wood. Confused, the patriarch asked Eli why the sunligt stone could not be seen any more. Smiling, Eli taught the people the words to bring back the sunlight stone to the top of the staff when needed. In it, they could be comforted by his light, knowing he could see them and they could see by his light when afraid.
Eli took his leave and moved to the next race in his visits.
Nearby, the Sheloin, a race of shelled people in the nearby sea watched as Eli left. Expecting Eli to come to them, the Sheloin grew dark and angry, jealous of their neighbors. Some years later they gathered their hate and formed a party to punish the Elioin for loving Eli so much and keeping Eli from them. On a dark night, the Sheloin crept up the shores of the bright lands and skittered on all six to the homes of the sleeping Elioin. In a cry of hate, they burst in and tore apart the men, women, and children in their powerful claws until none remained. Eli, in great anger, caused the gem to flare and strike lightning into the party of Sheloin. They died where they crept back into the water. No one has seen the Elioin since, but their structures still endure where they grew. The Sheloin are said to be dark creatures of the deep now.
[/sblock]
As Relsyn is reading through these reorts, Westcott is leafing through the same stacks , occasionally reading or translating a story for the group. "Ahh, this is a short description of how the staff was said to save a town. It appears a plague of locusts was heading for the town after destroying everything on the plain. The priest at the time went into the sacred chamber and took hold of the staff. Whatever he did, it appears that the wind struck up out off the ocean and blew the locusts eastward and southward. The fields were saved.
A few minutes later, in another section of the room, Westcott shows the group the liturgy for the cannonization (making a saint of) of a worthy person. It appears that the staff is used to invoke the spirit of the Saint and beseech Eli to allow the Saint to intervene on our behalf. It appears that the staff gem glows brilliantly as the service continues, a sure sign Eli is listening.
Airith, also perusing the more recent documents, finds a section on "Malta and the staff." It tells a tale of a cleric, who also belonged to a high Malta family, taking the staff from the 'spur.' He took it for his family, as a symbol of the families status and obvious favor in the eyes of Eli.
Inwe, looking through a sheaf of papers on the description of the staff, comes across several decriptions of the staff. All say the staff is oak. Most say the rod has a bole in upper 1/4, but does not have a stone or gem on it. Some documents, mostly reports of events in which the staff was part of the ceremony, battle, or cure describe the staff as smooth oak with basket on top, a large white gem delicately held by a wood basket setting.
Relsyn, still looking in ancient documents, comes across a set of inquiries from church history: Dated RY 2021. The 'theft' of the staff was ordered by a partiarch, Damas III - a partiarch who was not known for his piety. The cleric in the small town of Malta, Brother Lucas, carried out the decree with utmost tact. 'Few know of the theft,' the report says. A hand written note, dated a year later, claims that it was discovered that the stone was taken, but not the staff. Degrading remarks are made about the quiaity of the brotherhood, especially those who fail at their task, and then disappear from the face of the world without a trace.
A story, in old common, written in Malta, dated 3268 RY, comments on the audacity of Rush Greyson. The report / story documents how Mr. Greyson somehow got his hands on the staff, taking out of the Spur personally. Then, to show he is the most pious of the leading families, shows off staff during a ball, claiming his staff is his scepter of high society.
Along with this story is a sampling another 210 years of society papers. Several claim the staff changed hands back and forth within the Greyson family, and eventually wider society. At some point around 3285 RY, another staff showed up, looking very much like the original. Once there were two staffs, several more were made as trophies, some looking like the original, others quite different.
In 3518 RY, an in-depth search questioned 'Who has the real staff?' It was clearly narrowed down to three circles of Players, centered around the Greyson family, Cuthbert Family, and the Youngstrom family. These staffs look the most alike, but the rules of the society appear to make it impossible to cross 'class' lines and bring them together to compare them.
...
After about fourty-five minutes of scanning the documents, you have seen everything that the museum has concerning the Staff. Old family names in Malta are mentioned several times, as are several other small incident reports that involve the staff or reports of its use somehow or other. Nothing is definitive about it true sues or current location.
"Well, I have shown you all we have, can I answer any other questions?"
As the group approaches the front hall again, Msr. Westcott turns into a small alcove, and opens a concealed door and leads you into a csmall chamber. He strikes a sun rod which immediately illuninates the room.
The room is only ten by ten, and has a stairs leading down along the south wall. You follow him down the stairs, through a series of passages, rooms, vaults, laboratories, and libraries. It is apparent that for all the show and grandeure of the halls above, the academic knowledge and true treasures of the museum are not available for public display.
Msr. Wescott leads you into another small room, with drawings and files obviously about the Staff of the Elioim.
"Here are the documents we have relating to the Staff.
We have arranged the documents, mostly by date - oldest in back. I must request you handle these documents carefully. While they have been copied many times in the thousands of years since their writing, they are still fragile and precious."
Relsyn lights up and immediately heads for one of the older stacks of paper. He scans through sets of reports, written in Old Rhiann, from the first crusade, mentioning hearing about a staff in the south. Another set of papers report on an investigation into the same staff. It claims that the staff was said to herald the arrival of the Great Ships with the Remnant on them. The aborigional people say it flashed and flamed some weeks before the arrival of the ships - and grew so hot that the chamber walls of its shrine were blackened.
There is a document telling the tale of the origin of the staff.
The Story of Creation, the Elioin, and Eli's loss.[sblock]
It is said that soon after Eli formed the world, he traveled his creation. Through air, water, and earth he traveled. Wherever he went, he lived for a time with the creatures he encountered, giving them a gift as he left to continue his journey.
The first land he came to was Eire, where he encountered the races we now know as the strongheart or true races. His presence alone granted them long life, good health, and improved abilities. He lived long with them, sharing his knowledge and power with all of them. Thus his gift to them was the knowledge of the workings of the world and the joy of himself.
Aside: Over many generations, they forgot his gift and instead turned their mighty civilization to proud acts and boasting. Their acts were so atrocious to Eli that he finally destroyed the civilization, and even their blessed land, so they could never go home. The remnants of that nation settled as refugees on the land now known as Rhiannon, contrite and devoted to Eli and worshiping him in atonement.
He traveled other races with wings, who could float on the breezes over island paradises. He walked the depths with races burrowing deep in the hard stone at the core of the world. He swam and raced with the glistening races of the far off sea. Everywhere he went, and in whatever form he traveled, he gave his gifts as he moved along.
Then he came across a simple race, the Elioin, both beautiful and fragile. He loved them as children, for their simple ways and artful joy pleased him. They were both translucent and jewel tones. Their emotions played across their glassy skin as oil travels on water - shimmering, glowing, and shadowing. He made merry with them as they danced around the evening fires. He swam with them as they fished in the sea. Eli was happy to be in their presence and they loved him. When it was time to leave, he cried for the separation from his beloved. A single tear fell from his eye and landed on the land. The tear danced there on the land and formed a gem of great worth and power. He fashioned a staff for it and gave it to the Elioin for protection and comfort.
The staff, drawn out of a living oak, was smooth and hard. The depth to the grain was unmatched. As Eli picked up the gem, its dazzling whiteness burst into rainbows of color. The Elioim clapped joyously in the sight. He brought it close to the top of the staff and caused the staff to grow up and around the gem. The beauty of the staff and gem together was unique.
As Eli passed the staff to the Elioi patriarch, the gem slid down the staff, resting unseen in a nest of solid wood. Confused, the patriarch asked Eli why the sunligt stone could not be seen any more. Smiling, Eli taught the people the words to bring back the sunlight stone to the top of the staff when needed. In it, they could be comforted by his light, knowing he could see them and they could see by his light when afraid.
Eli took his leave and moved to the next race in his visits.
Nearby, the Sheloin, a race of shelled people in the nearby sea watched as Eli left. Expecting Eli to come to them, the Sheloin grew dark and angry, jealous of their neighbors. Some years later they gathered their hate and formed a party to punish the Elioin for loving Eli so much and keeping Eli from them. On a dark night, the Sheloin crept up the shores of the bright lands and skittered on all six to the homes of the sleeping Elioin. In a cry of hate, they burst in and tore apart the men, women, and children in their powerful claws until none remained. Eli, in great anger, caused the gem to flare and strike lightning into the party of Sheloin. They died where they crept back into the water. No one has seen the Elioin since, but their structures still endure where they grew. The Sheloin are said to be dark creatures of the deep now.
[/sblock]
As Relsyn is reading through these reorts, Westcott is leafing through the same stacks , occasionally reading or translating a story for the group. "Ahh, this is a short description of how the staff was said to save a town. It appears a plague of locusts was heading for the town after destroying everything on the plain. The priest at the time went into the sacred chamber and took hold of the staff. Whatever he did, it appears that the wind struck up out off the ocean and blew the locusts eastward and southward. The fields were saved.
A few minutes later, in another section of the room, Westcott shows the group the liturgy for the cannonization (making a saint of) of a worthy person. It appears that the staff is used to invoke the spirit of the Saint and beseech Eli to allow the Saint to intervene on our behalf. It appears that the staff gem glows brilliantly as the service continues, a sure sign Eli is listening.
Airith, also perusing the more recent documents, finds a section on "Malta and the staff." It tells a tale of a cleric, who also belonged to a high Malta family, taking the staff from the 'spur.' He took it for his family, as a symbol of the families status and obvious favor in the eyes of Eli.
Inwe, looking through a sheaf of papers on the description of the staff, comes across several decriptions of the staff. All say the staff is oak. Most say the rod has a bole in upper 1/4, but does not have a stone or gem on it. Some documents, mostly reports of events in which the staff was part of the ceremony, battle, or cure describe the staff as smooth oak with basket on top, a large white gem delicately held by a wood basket setting.
Relsyn, still looking in ancient documents, comes across a set of inquiries from church history: Dated RY 2021. The 'theft' of the staff was ordered by a partiarch, Damas III - a partiarch who was not known for his piety. The cleric in the small town of Malta, Brother Lucas, carried out the decree with utmost tact. 'Few know of the theft,' the report says. A hand written note, dated a year later, claims that it was discovered that the stone was taken, but not the staff. Degrading remarks are made about the quiaity of the brotherhood, especially those who fail at their task, and then disappear from the face of the world without a trace.
A story, in old common, written in Malta, dated 3268 RY, comments on the audacity of Rush Greyson. The report / story documents how Mr. Greyson somehow got his hands on the staff, taking out of the Spur personally. Then, to show he is the most pious of the leading families, shows off staff during a ball, claiming his staff is his scepter of high society.
Along with this story is a sampling another 210 years of society papers. Several claim the staff changed hands back and forth within the Greyson family, and eventually wider society. At some point around 3285 RY, another staff showed up, looking very much like the original. Once there were two staffs, several more were made as trophies, some looking like the original, others quite different.
In 3518 RY, an in-depth search questioned 'Who has the real staff?' It was clearly narrowed down to three circles of Players, centered around the Greyson family, Cuthbert Family, and the Youngstrom family. These staffs look the most alike, but the rules of the society appear to make it impossible to cross 'class' lines and bring them together to compare them.
...
After about fourty-five minutes of scanning the documents, you have seen everything that the museum has concerning the Staff. Old family names in Malta are mentioned several times, as are several other small incident reports that involve the staff or reports of its use somehow or other. Nothing is definitive about it true sues or current location.
"Well, I have shown you all we have, can I answer any other questions?"
Last edited:
Zachian
First Post
Airith
Airith's eyes and muscles are starting to get sore. He has read several stories, accounts, and descriptions of the staff but none descriptive enough to be able to tell the real staff from a fake. He puts down a book of papers when he hears Msr. Westcott say, "Well, I have shown you all we have, can I answer any other questions?"
"Msr. Westcott, I don't mean to be rude and by no means am I questioning your knowledge of the Staff of the Elioim, but do you know of any distinguishing marks, carvings, or decorations on the staff? I only ask because of the fact that there happens to be several replicas and I would hate to return with a fake staff."
Airith rubs his eyes as Westcott answers the question. "I see, and what about the gem, is there any reference as to who took it exactly? Maybe the family name or church he was affiliated with?"
Airith's eyes and muscles are starting to get sore. He has read several stories, accounts, and descriptions of the staff but none descriptive enough to be able to tell the real staff from a fake. He puts down a book of papers when he hears Msr. Westcott say, "Well, I have shown you all we have, can I answer any other questions?"
"Msr. Westcott, I don't mean to be rude and by no means am I questioning your knowledge of the Staff of the Elioim, but do you know of any distinguishing marks, carvings, or decorations on the staff? I only ask because of the fact that there happens to be several replicas and I would hate to return with a fake staff."
Airith rubs his eyes as Westcott answers the question. "I see, and what about the gem, is there any reference as to who took it exactly? Maybe the family name or church he was affiliated with?"
Tilmamir
First Post
the staff
"Well, Airith was it? Yes... Well the real staff, as I believe the oldest stories tell" he points to the pile that include the The Story of Creation, the Elioin, and Eli's loss " the staff is definitely of oak. It seems to have two forms, which I cannot explain. One has the stone inside the wood in a cavity, and the other the stone is visible in a setting of wood."
" I suspect that the staff, once reunited with the stone, will somehow show a symbiotic power."
"As for how they were separated, let me just say is was not one of the churches better days. One of our own, we believe, ordered the taking of the staff. During the aking, it accidentally broke into two parts - staff and stone. I would rather not say more about that.
The actual cleric is now known, privately mind you, as Brother Lucas the Unreliable. His birth surname, I think, was Youngstrom. Yes, one of the names mentioned often in later years."
"Well, Airith was it? Yes... Well the real staff, as I believe the oldest stories tell" he points to the pile that include the The Story of Creation, the Elioin, and Eli's loss " the staff is definitely of oak. It seems to have two forms, which I cannot explain. One has the stone inside the wood in a cavity, and the other the stone is visible in a setting of wood."
" I suspect that the staff, once reunited with the stone, will somehow show a symbiotic power."
"As for how they were separated, let me just say is was not one of the churches better days. One of our own, we believe, ordered the taking of the staff. During the aking, it accidentally broke into two parts - staff and stone. I would rather not say more about that.
The actual cleric is now known, privately mind you, as Brother Lucas the Unreliable. His birth surname, I think, was Youngstrom. Yes, one of the names mentioned often in later years."
Tinuviel
First Post
Inwe looks up from the stack of documents in her hands. "As numerous as these descriptions are, it seems as though the staff would not be too hard to replicate in appearance. And since the staff and its gem have been separated, isn't somewhat probable that we come across a staff without the stone? Do you know some way to identify the true staff without its counterpart? Echoing Airith, we don't want to come back with the wrong one."
"Thank you very much for the access to all this information. It has been helpful for me to learn more of these names of families supposed to be involved and of the history of this treasure. And hopefully we can still learn more in Malta."
"Thank you very much for the access to all this information. It has been helpful for me to learn more of these names of families supposed to be involved and of the history of this treasure. And hopefully we can still learn more in Malta."
Last edited:
Tilmamir
First Post
Westcott
"The gem and staff together will act as differently as the two separately."
He digs into one of the piles of papers perused by Relsyn, and finds a small paper towards the bottom of the pile. He scans the words and points out a line to Relsyn.
"What do you make of this?"
He shows Relsyn the text...
As Relsyn reads the story, Westcott says:
"Briefly, this says to me that the staff can produce a cone of wind. I believe this use may work without the gem. I do not think the replica staffs have magical abilities. I suggest you try the spell, but not in the City of Malta."
"The gem and staff together will act as differently as the two separately."
He digs into one of the piles of papers perused by Relsyn, and finds a small paper towards the bottom of the pile. He scans the words and points out a line to Relsyn.
"What do you make of this?"
He shows Relsyn the text...
As Relsyn reads the story, Westcott says:
"Briefly, this says to me that the staff can produce a cone of wind. I believe this use may work without the gem. I do not think the replica staffs have magical abilities. I suggest you try the spell, but not in the City of Malta."
Last edited:
Gwaihir
Explorer
Relsyn
Relsyn gingerly holds the scrap of paper given him by Msr Wescott and reads through it quickly, then less quickly, then rather slowly. His eyes betray wonderment amongst the concentration. He sets the paper gently down on the table from which it came.
"Yes," He finally says, "This scrap of paper, which is stunningly old, but which appears to be a copy of another, older, document, records a story whereby a priest saved a village by using the staff to create a mighty wind. He invoked this power by uttering the words, 'The Breath of Eli,' presumably in some form of Old Rhian which would be 'l'alito di Eli.'"
"'l'alito di Eli.'" echos Jewel the raven from Relsyns shoulder.
"Although," Says Relsyn hesitantly, "though the note is written in Old Rhian, based on what we've now heard about the staff, it is more likely that the command words would be in the language native to this continent, which today forms the basis only for the Barbarian tongues spoken in the north. This language I do not know."
"Monsignor, do you know how to say the "the breath of Eli" in the Barbarian tongue? Also any idea how it might be different from the original base language? If not, Garret my know a linguist at the University that can help us with that?"
Relsyn gingerly holds the scrap of paper given him by Msr Wescott and reads through it quickly, then less quickly, then rather slowly. His eyes betray wonderment amongst the concentration. He sets the paper gently down on the table from which it came.
"Yes," He finally says, "This scrap of paper, which is stunningly old, but which appears to be a copy of another, older, document, records a story whereby a priest saved a village by using the staff to create a mighty wind. He invoked this power by uttering the words, 'The Breath of Eli,' presumably in some form of Old Rhian which would be 'l'alito di Eli.'"
"'l'alito di Eli.'" echos Jewel the raven from Relsyns shoulder.
"Although," Says Relsyn hesitantly, "though the note is written in Old Rhian, based on what we've now heard about the staff, it is more likely that the command words would be in the language native to this continent, which today forms the basis only for the Barbarian tongues spoken in the north. This language I do not know."
"Monsignor, do you know how to say the "the breath of Eli" in the Barbarian tongue? Also any idea how it might be different from the original base language? If not, Garret my know a linguist at the University that can help us with that?"
Tilmamir
First Post
A Surprise
"Alas, I do not know the older tongue either. It surely is in the priests language before the time of the Remnant. That tongue is almost completely lost."
As Msr. Westcott is speaking, Wrinke is humming a tune quietly. It is odd, not quite tonal to your ears. He closes his eyes, nods his head a little, and then smiles. He takes the mouthpiece out and plays.
"Ieee nooooooo iiiiiit" he plays proudly.
He takes out a piece of paper from his pack and writes
Westcott: "How could you possibly know any songs.... That language is nearly dead?"
Wrinkle shrugged and smiled broadly (a cruel sight considering the scar on his face) and said no more.
"Alas, I do not know the older tongue either. It surely is in the priests language before the time of the Remnant. That tongue is almost completely lost."
As Msr. Westcott is speaking, Wrinke is humming a tune quietly. It is odd, not quite tonal to your ears. He closes his eyes, nods his head a little, and then smiles. He takes the mouthpiece out and plays.
"Ieee nooooooo iiiiiit" he plays proudly.
He takes out a piece of paper from his pack and writes
"sink taats iit"
Westcott: "How could you possibly know any songs.... That language is nearly dead?"
Wrinkle shrugged and smiled broadly (a cruel sight considering the scar on his face) and said no more.
Last edited:
Gwaihir
Explorer
Relsyn
It takes Relsyn Saffire, decorated priest of St Macedone the Scholar, a few moments to overcome his surprise.
"Hardly anyone knows that language..." He mutters.
He then works on pronouncing, "Respiração de Eli" until Wrinkling nods to tell him he is prounouncing it correctly.
"Macedone's blessing on the songs of bards, and your's specifically, Wrinkle." He says with a broad smile and a clap on the sturdy bards back.
It takes Relsyn Saffire, decorated priest of St Macedone the Scholar, a few moments to overcome his surprise.
"Hardly anyone knows that language..." He mutters.
He then works on pronouncing, "Respiração de Eli" until Wrinkling nods to tell him he is prounouncing it correctly.
"Macedone's blessing on the songs of bards, and your's specifically, Wrinkle." He says with a broad smile and a clap on the sturdy bards back.
