The Four Lands - The Great North
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Rath Lorien
First Post
Anniston makes sure they are seated somewhat apart from any other diners that might be in the restaurant this evening. He orders the pork and wine. Then after the waitress brings their drinks and departs, he will begin.
"It seems that we are to form something of a company on this voyage and for this I am well pleased. I find myself to be traveling with gentlemen of unusual ability, education, and good character. It is important for me, therefore, that there are no misunderstandings between us and that we can sail together in the morning with a clear conscience."
"Toward this end I wish to discuss the magical capabilities of certain of our members. By discussing this I mean no disrespect and shall not intrude upon your expectation of privacy any moreso than is strictly necessary."
"However, it has come to my attention that Jaroth and Finnian are students of the arcane arts. They assure me that they come by this art through natural selection, and are therefore blessed by the Light. In this matter I will take them at their word for to do otherwise would be a disservice, and, I might add, a contravention of legal jurisprudence."
"I say this so that other members of our group can be assured that there is no abject heresy involved."
"But in so far as may be the case, this statement of accordance with natural law still leaves some unanswered questions, that, in the interests of a common understanding, our arcane practitioners may wish to set aside somewhat their right to privacy and explain what sort of gift they have discovered within themselves and the goals they pursue with their gifts. For while the gifts of wit and steel are potent, the arena of magic is one that may arouse suspicion if not treated with clarity and open heart."
"And so you can perceive that there are times I talk too much so now I shall rest here quietly and listen patiently to any conversations that you may like to relate."
"It seems that we are to form something of a company on this voyage and for this I am well pleased. I find myself to be traveling with gentlemen of unusual ability, education, and good character. It is important for me, therefore, that there are no misunderstandings between us and that we can sail together in the morning with a clear conscience."
"Toward this end I wish to discuss the magical capabilities of certain of our members. By discussing this I mean no disrespect and shall not intrude upon your expectation of privacy any moreso than is strictly necessary."
"However, it has come to my attention that Jaroth and Finnian are students of the arcane arts. They assure me that they come by this art through natural selection, and are therefore blessed by the Light. In this matter I will take them at their word for to do otherwise would be a disservice, and, I might add, a contravention of legal jurisprudence."
"I say this so that other members of our group can be assured that there is no abject heresy involved."
"But in so far as may be the case, this statement of accordance with natural law still leaves some unanswered questions, that, in the interests of a common understanding, our arcane practitioners may wish to set aside somewhat their right to privacy and explain what sort of gift they have discovered within themselves and the goals they pursue with their gifts. For while the gifts of wit and steel are potent, the arena of magic is one that may arouse suspicion if not treated with clarity and open heart."
"And so you can perceive that there are times I talk too much so now I shall rest here quietly and listen patiently to any conversations that you may like to relate."
Dracomeander
First Post
Finnian takes a seat at the table and joins Bertrand in just ordering tea while waiting to see which direction the discussion is going to take. He looks around the room noting the decor and how the damaged roof has been incorporated into the character of the diner. When Anniston finishes, Finnian looks at the others to gauge their reactions and pitches his voice to just carry to their ears.
"Well, not exactly where I thought this discussion was going to go. I thought we would be discussing how to address our suspicions about the young man when we got back to the ship. But, if this is what concerns you, then by all means let me alleviate your fears.
"As you may recall, I am from Gwynnedde. In my land there are really only three paths for a young noble to follow - the military, the priesthood, or diplomatic service if lucky enough or from a powerful enough family.
"As I was not really suited to the military life of my homeland and, no disrespect intended, found the priesthood too confining, I thought my life was going to be disappointingly short as I would have had to strap on the armor of a knight and get battered all over the battlefield since our family was not truly powerful enough to guarantee me an appointment into diplomatic service. But the Light decided to bless me with the gift to be a bard which reopened possibilities for my life that I thought would be closed.
"When my training as a bard was complete, I was able to join my father and his lord on a mission with important diplomatic repercussions and managed to distinguish myself enough to be taken into full service. I did not have the authority to make treaties, but I was authorized to do preliminary contact work. In the course of doing my duty, the abilities the Light has blessed me with have come in very useful in gathering the information necessary to find non-violent solutions to several problems and have allowed me to keep myself and my information safe.
"As I told you before, I am now on a trip to deliver some correspondence to old friends of my patron as he is too ill to travel. I don't know what providence of the Light brought me into such company as I have found here. But I do welcome your company and have enjoyed the chance to expand my knowledge of these northern lands. I will be glad to assist you with any troubles you may encounter in your travels until my duties take me in a different direction."
"Well, not exactly where I thought this discussion was going to go. I thought we would be discussing how to address our suspicions about the young man when we got back to the ship. But, if this is what concerns you, then by all means let me alleviate your fears.
"As you may recall, I am from Gwynnedde. In my land there are really only three paths for a young noble to follow - the military, the priesthood, or diplomatic service if lucky enough or from a powerful enough family.
"As I was not really suited to the military life of my homeland and, no disrespect intended, found the priesthood too confining, I thought my life was going to be disappointingly short as I would have had to strap on the armor of a knight and get battered all over the battlefield since our family was not truly powerful enough to guarantee me an appointment into diplomatic service. But the Light decided to bless me with the gift to be a bard which reopened possibilities for my life that I thought would be closed.
"When my training as a bard was complete, I was able to join my father and his lord on a mission with important diplomatic repercussions and managed to distinguish myself enough to be taken into full service. I did not have the authority to make treaties, but I was authorized to do preliminary contact work. In the course of doing my duty, the abilities the Light has blessed me with have come in very useful in gathering the information necessary to find non-violent solutions to several problems and have allowed me to keep myself and my information safe.
"As I told you before, I am now on a trip to deliver some correspondence to old friends of my patron as he is too ill to travel. I don't know what providence of the Light brought me into such company as I have found here. But I do welcome your company and have enjoyed the chance to expand my knowledge of these northern lands. I will be glad to assist you with any troubles you may encounter in your travels until my duties take me in a different direction."
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Jaroth
Jaroth's head remained down during Finnian's comments, his hands and arms folded in front of him in the sleeves of his robe. When he finishes, Jaroth looks up at him with a nod and smile.
"I suppose you would like an explanation from me next." Jaroth begins wryly to the others. "I don't know where I am from. I was orphaned at about the time I learned to walk. I was raised by some kind folk. But I never really fit in there and foolishly struck out on my own as a young lad. After some hair-raising adventures in the wilds, I met a woodsman and became fast friends with him. During a storm, my gift revealed itself. My friend, the woodsman, was injured and would have died if I did not get him out of the terrible hailstorm we were experiencing. Pummeled with hailstones the size of apples, I nearly didn't make it to him. Exhausted and wishing for a respite, at least to save my friend from the brutal beating of the endless hailstones, I wished for a shield to cover our heads. Putting my arms above my head in a warding gesture, I reached for my friend and picked him up. That's when I noticed the hailstones hitting an invisibile plane of force above my head. I carried the woodsman back to our cottage, protected from the hail." Jaroth pauses and takes a sip of wine.
"Ever since that day, if I wished to be protected from something, I willed a plane of force into being, and it was done." Jaroth finishes.
"Over the years, I have honed my skills into those necessary for discretion and diplomacy as befitting my status as a wandering messenger and cataloger. In many ways, I can be thought of as a diviner. But of late, my power is developing into something much more."
"My power is a gift of the Light. I am connected to the earth, the sky, the sea, the sun, the moon, the forests and all of creatures of the realm. I feel their joy and share their pain. Perhaps this is what the Light wishes my powers to evolve into, some sort of empathy. But even more, to a degree, I believe I can control the forces of nature, and I feel that power growing in me."
"The Light has surely blessed me and I am thankful for that blessing." Jaroth pauses to gage the reactions of the others.
Jaroth's head remained down during Finnian's comments, his hands and arms folded in front of him in the sleeves of his robe. When he finishes, Jaroth looks up at him with a nod and smile.
"I suppose you would like an explanation from me next." Jaroth begins wryly to the others. "I don't know where I am from. I was orphaned at about the time I learned to walk. I was raised by some kind folk. But I never really fit in there and foolishly struck out on my own as a young lad. After some hair-raising adventures in the wilds, I met a woodsman and became fast friends with him. During a storm, my gift revealed itself. My friend, the woodsman, was injured and would have died if I did not get him out of the terrible hailstorm we were experiencing. Pummeled with hailstones the size of apples, I nearly didn't make it to him. Exhausted and wishing for a respite, at least to save my friend from the brutal beating of the endless hailstones, I wished for a shield to cover our heads. Putting my arms above my head in a warding gesture, I reached for my friend and picked him up. That's when I noticed the hailstones hitting an invisibile plane of force above my head. I carried the woodsman back to our cottage, protected from the hail." Jaroth pauses and takes a sip of wine.
"Ever since that day, if I wished to be protected from something, I willed a plane of force into being, and it was done." Jaroth finishes.
"Over the years, I have honed my skills into those necessary for discretion and diplomacy as befitting my status as a wandering messenger and cataloger. In many ways, I can be thought of as a diviner. But of late, my power is developing into something much more."
"My power is a gift of the Light. I am connected to the earth, the sky, the sea, the sun, the moon, the forests and all of creatures of the realm. I feel their joy and share their pain. Perhaps this is what the Light wishes my powers to evolve into, some sort of empathy. But even more, to a degree, I believe I can control the forces of nature, and I feel that power growing in me."
"The Light has surely blessed me and I am thankful for that blessing." Jaroth pauses to gage the reactions of the others.
Rath Lorien
First Post
“Thank you, Jaroth and Finnian. I appreciate your candor and willingness to share what is clearly a personal matter. Thank you for your gift.”
“For myself I am satisfied and I hope that my request has not spoiled your impression of me. I consider myself to be a good judge of character and what I knew before to be true has been bolstered by your courage and honesty.”
“Though you do not ask it, I feel it is only fair for me to share something of my background as well. I am Anniston of House Van Aalorn of the Northwarden in the Borderlands. I am the second son, my older brother and heir to my father’s lands being Robert who is a ranger lord of the Brotherhood.”
“I have answered the call to serve the Light, but not as a priest. It is my honor to serve in the Order of the Defenders of the Faith. This holy order is charged with the protection of the highest ranking members of the Church and in this sacred duty I have failed. While under my protection, the Primate Korlon was attacked by an ambush and killed by an assassin.”
“For this failure I have been suspended of my duties until I can demonstrate my worth by either returning with proof of divine favor or by bringing the assassin to justice. I pray I will succeed in both of these tasks. Because of my disgrace it is not prudent for me to make known my membership in the order or my family house. For this reason I pass myself as a pilgrim, which is not, in fact, an untruth. As you have shared information that you expect to remain in confidence so too do I ask you to keep this information of mine in confidence. I ask this not to protect my honor, but to protect my order and my house from any unnecessary scandal until I earned my just atonement.”
“I cannot say what has brought me on this voyage except that I follow the Light. I know it has brought me here for a reason and I believe we are brought together on this voyage for a reason. It is because of this trust in my divine mission and because of my trust in you all that I extend my hand in friendship.”
“For myself I am satisfied and I hope that my request has not spoiled your impression of me. I consider myself to be a good judge of character and what I knew before to be true has been bolstered by your courage and honesty.”
“Though you do not ask it, I feel it is only fair for me to share something of my background as well. I am Anniston of House Van Aalorn of the Northwarden in the Borderlands. I am the second son, my older brother and heir to my father’s lands being Robert who is a ranger lord of the Brotherhood.”
“I have answered the call to serve the Light, but not as a priest. It is my honor to serve in the Order of the Defenders of the Faith. This holy order is charged with the protection of the highest ranking members of the Church and in this sacred duty I have failed. While under my protection, the Primate Korlon was attacked by an ambush and killed by an assassin.”
“For this failure I have been suspended of my duties until I can demonstrate my worth by either returning with proof of divine favor or by bringing the assassin to justice. I pray I will succeed in both of these tasks. Because of my disgrace it is not prudent for me to make known my membership in the order or my family house. For this reason I pass myself as a pilgrim, which is not, in fact, an untruth. As you have shared information that you expect to remain in confidence so too do I ask you to keep this information of mine in confidence. I ask this not to protect my honor, but to protect my order and my house from any unnecessary scandal until I earned my just atonement.”
“I cannot say what has brought me on this voyage except that I follow the Light. I know it has brought me here for a reason and I believe we are brought together on this voyage for a reason. It is because of this trust in my divine mission and because of my trust in you all that I extend my hand in friendship.”
Jaroth
Jaroth addresses Anniston. "I cannot hold it against you that you have inquired into the nature of our gifts. And I do not mind sharing when the sharee has an open mind. Generally, talk of arcane abilities sends people screaming for a Justicar. It is heartening to see that everyone is still seated with their eyes in their respective heads, mouths closed."
"I would trade these powers for the chance to have had a normal childhood, complete with parents and family, in a heartbeat. In many ways, I envy those of you that had that chance. It seems that you have all made much of it."
Jaroth addresses Anniston. "I cannot hold it against you that you have inquired into the nature of our gifts. And I do not mind sharing when the sharee has an open mind. Generally, talk of arcane abilities sends people screaming for a Justicar. It is heartening to see that everyone is still seated with their eyes in their respective heads, mouths closed."
"I would trade these powers for the chance to have had a normal childhood, complete with parents and family, in a heartbeat. In many ways, I envy those of you that had that chance. It seems that you have all made much of it."
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