The Lamentation of Lolth - Chapter VI

[Majin]

OoC: The temple is pretty big and is the centerpiece of the village, so no trouble finding it at all.

 

[Velmont]

Sielwoodan satres a moment at Teleri without much emotion. "Aiming your back... I'll leave the assassin's work to Dunstand. That's his speciality. Go with Ayden, he knows how to handle such things."

 

[kirinke]

Teleri chuckles and tells the ranger. "I was thinking more of ambush to tell the truth."

 

[Verbatim]

The trip had been a restful one for Ayden, even given the serious nature of their journey, and it had allowed him to focus more on Finder's calling and the effects it was having on his life. He could feel his confidence growing in his abilities, and as that confidence grew, his Uncle granted him the ability to channel more of his divine power through him.

Ayden also used the journey to practice more on his Uncle's violin and as the notes rolled out into the still night air, Ayden could feel the underlying power that the songs held and knew that soon he would begin storing that power into the instrument through magic. It was something that Finder himself had done when he was still a mortal, and Ayden felt that his Uncle would not disapprove of his endeavour.

As they neared the town though, Ayden's demeanor once again grew serious. The darkening clouds overhead seemed to match his companion's mood and everyone, save Sarlis, felt as if they were riding into an ambush. However, as they entered the town, Ayden had to admit that he was surprised at how normal everything seemed to be. The people looked like the common laborers he had visited on behalf of his family growing up, and if they were all secret members of the White Brotherhood, they were doing an amazing job with their disguises.

As the funeral procession approached them, Ayden removed the broad brimmed hat he wore and felt the first drops of the icy rain land on his face and neck. The unexpected chill sent an involuntary shiver down his spine and as his eyes locked upon the figure that was in the coffin, he felt his body go numb and for a moment was certain he would fall to the ground.

~By the gods....how did this happen???~

A look of shock was on his face as Ayden tried to move forward, but his legs resisted his urgings and he remained as still as a post.

~If Lady Chasity has fallen then surely Andreas has met the same fate...~

Ayden watched as Sarlis moved forward and knelt beside the body and spoke a short prayer over her before standing back up and looking around briefly at the surrounding area. Ayden's focus was so divided between his companions, the woman in front of them, and the body that he only heard parts of what she was saying.

His attention was refocused on the present when Dunstand suddenly broke free from their ranks and grabbed the arm of someone in the crowd and began yelling at the man. His words were not as important to Ayden as the emotion in the man's voice and as he began to step approach him, Calenthang quickly passed him and reached the scout just as the woman moved away from speaking with him.

~Once again the others prove their strength in a crisis...~

Drogo frowns grimly. "The people avoid us for a reason. They are not bad people, but they put their lives at risk associating with us, it seems. We must respect their fear and avoid them for now. We will speak to the priestess later. For now, let us join them in paying our last respects to our departed friend."

Ayden nodded his head slowly and with wooden steps approached the fallen paladin. She looked so pale and fragile, and for a moment, Ayden felt the childish desire that Chasity would suddenly open her eyes and tell them she had been merely sleeping. However, childhood had long sinced passed him by, and as he stared down at her, he knew that she would not be opening her eyes any time soon.

"May Finder's songs fill your heart with gladness as you rest in the halls of Torm, and may the Valorous One stand at your side always."

As the others approached and offered their own final words, Ayden stood back and tried to convince himself that this was really happening. While he had known that Lady Chasity and Master Andreas had been taken against their will, part of him had hoped that they would still be alive when they arrived. However, this was not a child's story where the fair maiden and noble prince live happily ever after.

~They will pay...whoever did this to you Chasity, I vow they will pay...~


Snapping out of his musing, Ayden looked around and saw the funeral procession heading back towards the church and his companions entering what he guessed was the local inn. Putting the hat atop his now soaked hair, Ayden slowly followed them inside, his steps slow and unsteady.

[sblock]End Part One[/sblock]

 

[Verbatim]

The Double Bolt Inn, a single storied building in the south part of the village is Twlight Hollows only accomodations. After Sielwoodan stables Felmir and goes inside, he and any others following enter the common room. This wood-paneled room is warmed by a fireplace, above which hangs a small steel shield emblazoned with the symbol of Ilmater (a pair of white hands bound at the wrist with a red cord). Four tables are arranged about the room, and a bar stretched along the wall near the entrance. A double door to the north appears to lead into the kitchen and a staircase descends down to the basement along the southern wall. A large man, bald, in his middle years stands behind the bar wiping it clean with a cloth. The room otherwise is empty of any patrons.

Ayden entered the Double Bolt and hung his sodden cloak and hat on the pegs near the fireplace to dry. As he placed them there, his eyes were drawn to the symbol of Ilmater and thought that the Broken One had found a suitable home in this place. As his companions chose seats at the bar and at various tables, Ayden walked to a corner table away from them all and pulled his Uncle's violin from the depths of the magical bag.

Pulling his hair back and securing it with a small leather cord, as Ayden meant to have it cut while they travled only to feel it was too vain of a request to ask at the time, he drew the bow across the strings and as the music filled the room, Ayden sang the one and only hymn he knew of the Ilmateri.

"We are the broken men
We are the suffering men
Leaning together
Hearts filled with woe. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar


Shapes without form, shades without colour,
Paralysed forces, gestures without motion;


Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to Kelemvor's Kingdom
Remember us -- if at all -- not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the broken men
The suffering men.

Eyes I dare not meet in dreams
In death's dream kingdom
These do not appear:
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind's singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.

Let me be no nearer
In Kelemvor's dark kingdom
Let me also wear
Such deliberate disguises
Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves
In a field
Behaving as the wind behaves
No nearer --

Not that final meeting
In his twilight kingdom

This is a dead land
This is a stark land
Here the false images
Are raised, here they receive
The supplication of a cruel man's hand
Under the twinkle of a fading star.

Is it like this
In Ilmater's kingdom
Waking alone
At the hour when we are
Trembling with tenderness
Lips that would kiss
Form prayers to mend broken stone.

The eyes are not here
There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars
In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms

In this last of meeting places
We grope together
And avoid speech
Gathered on this beach of the tumid river

Sightless, unless
The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death's twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of broken men.

Between the idea
And the truth
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the dark shadows

Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the dark shadow

Between the desire
And the chasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the dark shadow

As the song ended, the last note hung heavy in the air for a moment before slowly fading away.

[sblock]End Part Two and I would like to give all credit to T.S. Eliot for the poem of his I just butchered for my own purposes.[/sblock]

 

[Dhes]

Dunstand ignores his companions and tries in vain to find some meaning in the innkeeper’s words. He stares motionless at the polished wood of the bar till he hears Ayden’s lament. Hearing the song opens the rogues’ emotional barriers and he has to wipe away some tears, as he gives himself time to reflect on Chastity’s passing. May the mothers embrace welcome you home Chastity, and the creator shelter you.

As the last note dies off, Dunstand gets up and walks over to Ayden. “If this is one of Finder’s gifts, then you truly must be one of his favorite followers, to grace you with such a skill.” Pausing to take a deep breath. “Know that if the dark shadows should ever fall you will find me at your side, broken man or not.”

[sblock]Ooc:
Verbatim I C that you still spell Chastity with just one T “Chasity”. It could be that you picked this up from my misspelling of her name in the loot list title, if so I’m sorry.[/sblock]

 

[kirinke]

Teleri smiled at Ayden, though her smile was indeed very sad. "I don't think you need any more signs of Finder's approval my friend. His music flows through you loud enough that a deaf man could hear it." she said in complete sincerity.

 

[Mimic]

Broddy looks up from his book and listens quietly to Ayden's music as he nods to himself. "A good song to mark the passing of a friend." He thinks quietly to himself.

 

[Manzanita]

Drogo

"Yes. Andreas. We must ask about him as well."

Drogo will enter the temple in search of the priestess, assuming enough time has passed for the funeral to be over.

 

[DarkMaster]

Sarlis slightly entertained by the priest music approaches Ayden. "Music is one of the best cure for what our magic can't cure. As I can hear you are both apt at curing the body as you are to cure the soul. Sarlis adds looking at the priest instrument.

"I guess he plays well enough to earn a living playing in a place like here, but he will need to do more than that to impress me"

"Ayden, I will head to the temple, hopefully the priestress will be able to shed some light on what happened to your friend. As I heard she was a defender of the people and her death needs to be avenge."

Feeling competent enough on his own Sarlis head straight to the temple. Not really waiting for the others to follow.