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To Find a King (updated 06/26)
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<blockquote data-quote="Mortepierre" data-source="post: 1849811" data-attributes="member: 9765"><p><strong>Prelude - part 2: Heart of Stone</strong></p><p></p><p>Drachenhold - Principality of Suress</p><p>399 AC - Stone elves territory</p><p></p><p>Pelrind <em>ascended</em> (1).</p><p></p><p>Instantly, his body registered pressure all over his skin, combined with coldness. Moreover, when he tried to fill his lungs, his nose refused to obey, as if it was blocked. He tried to use his mouth and managed to gulp down some air through what seemed to be a small pipe held between his teeth. His eyes revealed nothing given he was apparently blindfolded.</p><p></p><p>So, naturally, he panicked.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, he was held tight, incapable of even the most rudimentary movement.</p><p></p><p>Then, the truth dawned on him.</p><p></p><p><em>Of course I can’t move. Hardly surprising when you are buried alive.</em></p><p></p><p>He forced his body to relax while his mind slowly remembered the chain of events that had led to this situation...</p><p></p><p>**</p><p></p><p>It happened in the middle of the second century after the Cataclysm, right after the conclusion of the second Forest War, when the humans from Drachenhold and the elves from Suress had banded together for the first time in history to defeat the humanoid army that the druids had assembled to punish the humans. Druids - even elven druids - who had until then enjoyed the protection of the elven woods suddenly found themselves very unwelcome, if not hunted down. Not that there were many of them left...</p><p></p><p>Most surviving druids were humanoids. When their troops had been defeated, they had blamed their elven and human <em>brothers</em> for it and either retreated north or returned to the Wild Coast. Reviled by all, forced to withdraw to the most inhospitable locations to avoid being slaughtered, the few humans and elves still alive realized they were facing extinction.</p><p></p><p>Then, almost miraculously, one of them - a human named Dvorr - had an epiphany. They had been fighting the wrong battle from the start!</p><p></p><p>The very first druids, if legend was to be believed, had been a group of folks who discovered the location of Eliwyn’s grove (2) and became its self-appointed caretakers. Their disciples later spread throughout the world and assumed custody of the animals and plants which they perceived as Eliwyn’s defenseless <em>lesser kin</em>.</p><p></p><p>According to Dvorr, that had been a terrible mistake. While he admitted that protecting Eliwyn was important, he postulated that their primary duty beyond that task was to the world itself. And what was the world if not a combination of the four basic elements? Indeed, those very same elements had become the first-generation gods in the mythology of most cultures.</p><p></p><p>Essentially, animals and plants were but <em>by-products</em> of the world. As such, they were important only inasmuch as their destruction endangered the world itself. What really mattered was to maintain the elemental equilibrium on which the world was based.</p><p></p><p>The elves, with their concept of <em>Ahlenh Gonh</em> (3) - which they used to power their sorcery - were simply tapping an energy source that sprang from that balance.</p><p></p><p>Dvorr theorized that the world could be divided into zones. Each zone was composed of a mix of the four elements, with some elements being dominant and others being dominated. For example, a range of mountains was clearly dominated by Earth and Air, while a marsh was dominated by Earth and Water, etc...</p><p></p><p>Even if each zone was dominated by one (or more) element(s), the sum of all the zones was still balanced. For instance, if a certain number of zones were dominated by, say, Water, then an equal number of zones elsewhere saw Water being dominated by another element.</p><p></p><p>Furthermore, to maintain that equilibrium, the world used what he dubbed the <em>dynamics of chaos</em>. If the balance was disturbed locally, the world would react violently through natural phenomena to correct the problem. For example, if a lake was drained in a zone, the world would flood another zone to compensate (the crucial point being the preservation of the overall balance).</p><p></p><p>The problem was that when the world reacted in this way, it was <em>blind</em> to the consequences for the races that occupied the zone targeted. The elemental balance would be restored but the native life forms would have sustained heavy casualties in the process.</p><p></p><p><em>That</em> was the kind of problem they should have been tracking and correcting instead of warring against humans determined to cut down a few trees. And since most races didn’t have the means to drastically modify the local elemental equilibrium of the zones where they lived, the druids would be less likely to arouse the ire of the natives.</p><p></p><p>The others were doubtful. After all, what he was asking them would change radically their way of life. But, at the same time, they recognized that his proposal was intriguing, if not appealing. Druids already manipulated elemental energies through their spells, so this wasn’t completely new to them.</p><p></p><p>Two accepted to become his disciples, an elf called Unula and a human named Saterus. They followed him deep into the wilderness and, there, experimented his theories. They refined their understanding of the nature of the elements through meditation, purification rituals, spellcasting and frequent dialogues with creatures they summoned from the four Elemental Pillars (4).</p><p></p><p>Dvorr wrote down the sum of his reflections in a book he titled the <em>Codex Natura</em>. He gave a copy to each of his disciples and then told them he needed to depart for a time on a journey through the Elemental Pillars themselves. Until his return, they would be in charge of implementing his teachings.</p><p></p><p>Saterus and Unula returned to the others, filled with a new purpose. They formed disciples of their own and, little by little, the new order grew. By respect for its founder, they called themselves the <em>Adepts of Dvorr</em>, a name that was soon abbreviated into <em>Dvorraks</em>.</p><p></p><p>As time passed, it became obvious that Saterus and Unula didn’t see eye to eye on one important subject. Saterus believed that they were the world’s <em>vengeful hand</em>. If the equilibrium of a zone was disturbed, it was up to them to choose another zone and disturb it in return before the world had a chance to act on its own (often with far more devastating consequences). Unula, on the other hand, was convinced that their duty was to prevent zones from being disturbed in the first place or, if not possible, to restore the zones concerned <em>before</em> the world had to step in.</p><p></p><p>Their disciples, of course, polarized along their points of view. Soon, fights broke out between proponents of what had become two divergent philosophical trends. And since members of both factions specialized in elemental spells, the battles proved to be not only extremely violent but also terribly destructive.</p><p></p><p>Fortunately, both Saterus and Unula quickly realized that the only consequence of this fratricidal conflict would be to undermine everything they had built, jeopardizing Dvorr’s dream. Calling together all the Dvorraks, they announced a few changes to the organization.</p><p></p><p>First, the members would be divided into four castes. In ascending order: Novices, Adepts, Masters, and Disciples. Advancement from one caste to the next would be based not only on personal power but also on one’s understanding of Dvorr’s theories (5). Furthermore, only Masters and Disciples would be authorized to train new Novices.</p><p></p><p>Second, Novices were forbidden to take direct action to protect the balance unless acting under the supervision of a member of Adept (or higher) rank.</p><p></p><p>Third, if it was determined that a given zone had truly become <em>unbalanced</em>, all members present in that zone (whatever their respective rank) would assemble and suggest possible courses of action. Then, they would settle on the one to follow through a majority vote and band together to implement it. The highest ranking member would be in command for the duration of that mission.</p><p></p><p>These new rules nipped the schism in the bud.. at least in appearance... (6)</p><p></p><p>**</p><p></p><p>Roughly 200 years later, the order was still growing though certain of its most cynical members would have referred to its condition as <em>stagnating</em> instead.</p><p></p><p>Dvorr had never come back. Infrequently, elemental creatures summoned by the Adepts would hint that he had been seen. However, any evidence offered always proved inconclusive. Saterus had died of old age but his philosophy had survived him. Unula was still alive and, now, the only member experienced enough to claim the rank of Disciple.</p><p></p><p>The Dvorraks had slowly found acceptance anew among the elves although the latter refused to grant them the same kind of unconditional support they had once given to the druids. Among humans, the situation was far from idyllic due to the kind of new members the order recruited (7). Mostly, the Dvorraks suffered from incomprehension. Commoners could understand a druid’s desire to protect animals and plants, but the concept of protecting the world’s elemental balance was utterly alien to them. Even local authorities didn’t quite know what to make of them. Hence, most humans still viewed them as <em>druids</em>, only crazier than before.</p><p></p><p>**</p><p></p><p>Like all Stone Elves, Pelrind had felt a deep respect for the mountainous home of his race from the moment of his birth. But this appreciation was coupled with an affinity for the earth that few shared among his clan. He would often disappear for hours, following crevices and galleries that led deeper than the territory claimed by his village. There, alone in the dark, he would listen - motionless - till hunger forced him to return home.</p><p></p><p>One day, his parents - worried about his safety - asked him to explain what he found so fascinating down there. He simply replied that the Earth was talking to him all the time but that it was only when he was far enough from other living beings that the words started to make sense. Hence, the need to go where he wouldn’t be disturbed.</p><p></p><p>At first, his family thought that it meant he was destined to become a Life-Shaper (8), a rare vocation that would bring much honor to their clan. Thus, they took him to the local mage, certain the latter would grant him an apprenticeship. Alas, it was not to be. The mage told them the kinship Pelrind felt toward the Earth went beyond the respect a mage has for the elements. His true calling lay elsewhere. However, he knew someone who might help and offered to take Pelrind to that person.</p><p></p><p>Embarrassed but determined to let their son’s potential express itself fully, the parents agreed. One week later, Pelrind was taken deep into the mountains to the isolated home of an old elven woman who introduced herself as Unula. When he told her he could hear the Earth talk, she simply asked him if he would like to learn how to answer. Awed, he agreed earnestly and - without knowing it - took the first step toward joining the order.</p><p></p><p>He stayed with her for 20 years, studying at her feet as she had once learnt from Dvorr. Then, she sent him to a Saterist Master to insure he would be introduced to what she called the <em>other ring of the same bell</em>. When he returned to her, 10 years later, she pronounced him ready to take the First Test (9).</p><p></p><p>Naming the Earth as his element of choice was the easy part. Being told he would need to be buried alive proved to be harder...</p><p></p><p>**</p><p></p><p><em>And so, I ended up here</em> he thought.</p><p></p><p>His mistress had taken him to a small, isolated glen. Once there, she had told him to dig a hole - with his bare hands - deep enough for him to sit with the top of his head beneath the ground. Before going in, she had made him take off all his clothes - apart from a blindfold to protect his eyes. To enter the Earth’s womb, he needed to be naked like a newborn. Once inside, he was given a long reed pipe, his one link with the surface and the only way for him to breathe. Then, she had buried him. He would stay that way until the Earth <em>accepted</em> him.</p><p></p><p>At first, he had thought it merely involved waiting patiently for a sign. So, he had meditated to while away the time. Unfortunately, hours later, he was still waiting for the sign...</p><p></p><p><em>This is great</em> he sighed inwardly. <em>Buried alive. I should have chosen Air or Water! Well, maybe not Water. Drowning is like suffocating after all. I wonder if anyone ever chooses Fire..</em></p><p></p><p>He shuddered involuntarily at the thought of what being accepted by Fire could entail.</p><p></p><p><em>Wait.. maybe I am going about this the wrong way. Could it be symbolic?</em></p><p></p><p>He started to recap mentally what the Codex Natura stated about the Earth.</p><p></p><p><em>It is cold and dry. Solid and steady.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Earth is the strongest of the four elements. It symbolizes the physical world.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Its associated shape is the cube and its related number is 1.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>Hmm.. a cube has 8 corners, so why pick 1 instead of 8? Even if Dvorr viewed the cube as a square, its corresponding surface, the number would be 4, not 1.</em></p><p></p><p>This reflection triggered a buried memory about a lesson Unula had given him long ago.</p><p></p><p><em>It was something about the.. - how did she call it? - ah yes, the Unity Principle. As the embodiment of the world, Earth is the link between the other 3 elements.</em></p><p></p><p>With every square inch of his body in contact with the surrounding soil, he could feel the tiniest vibration coursing through the Earth if he concentrated hard enough. Slowly, he became aware of one muted but steady throb, like a giant pulse...</p><p></p><p>He forced his own heartbeat to slow to match it. Dimly, without even realizing it, his consciousness started to expand. </p><p></p><p>Molten lava was traveling through tunnels that were old when the world was still young, like veins of Fire.</p><p></p><p>Rain was seeping through the surface, gathering in huge pools of Water underground, before being released once again via rivers, sources and wells, like perspiration or tears.</p><p></p><p>And Air was sweeping in through every cranny to dance inside deep caverns, like lungs filling when you breathe.</p><p></p><p><em>Of course.. one body, one world. We are as one...</em></p><p></p><p>Suddenly, he felt sunlight warming his face. Surprised, he tried to move and registered no pressure upon his limbs. He was free! He took off his blindfold but put it back on immediately when the harsh glare of the sun stabbed through his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“Careful <em>fiuran</em>, give your body time to adapt once again” said a voice he knew well.</p><p></p><p><em>Fiuran.. Novice.. I passed?</em></p><p></p><p>He took off his blindfold again, more slowly this time and, squinting, looked at his feet. The ground was undisturbed as if no hole had ever been dug in it. He frowned, puzzled.</p><p></p><p>“<em>Aosda</em>, was this just.. an illusion?”</p><p></p><p>Unula smiled enigmatically. “What does your heart tell you?”</p><p></p><p>He concentrated, listening within him. The familiar pulse of his heart was there, as always, but he was surprised to discover another pulse that seemed to emanate from the very core of his being. A slow but steady pulse.. as if..</p><p></p><p>“The Earth! I can feel it ins-”</p><p></p><p>“Shhhh.. do not say it aloud” she interrupted, gently putting two fingers over his mouth. “Each element has a secret, something It reveals only to those with the patience to listen and the will to embrace them fully. Those secrets are never discussed openly, not even among ourselves, for each of us must discover them on his or her own. But know this: you will never be alone anymore. Wherever you go, whatever you do, <em>that</em> will always be a part of you.” She put her right palm over his heart and smiled again, but benignly this time, as a sister might smile to a younger brother.</p><p></p><p>He smiled in return and then bowed respectfully. “Thank you, <em>Aosda</em>, I will remember. Always.”</p><p></p><p>Abruptly, it dawned on him that he wasn’t a pupil anymore. After spending the last 30 years of his life studying, he would be left without guidance. A daunting prospect. </p><p></p><p>“Er.. but what am I supposed to do now?” he asked sheepishly.</p><p></p><p>“Now? Now, you start your journey. It is time for you to learn more of the world you live in. When you feel you have learnt enough, come back to us for your Second Test.”</p><p></p><p>He bowed once again, filled at once with elation and dread.</p><p></p><p>“Before you go” she added, “I have something for you. Call it a parting gift if you will”. She held out a small item to him.</p><p></p><p>He took it, looked closely and wondered.</p><p></p><p><em>A silver key?</em></p><p></p><p>Unula smiled enigmatically again. “Let’s just say this should open the door to many adventures for you...”</p><p></p><p>**********</p><p>(1) Suressian elves view their routine meditation as a merging of their consciousness with their inner spirit to bring them in phase once again after a day spent interacting with the material world. Hence, entering this meditative state is described as <em>descending</em> (within themselves), and leaving it as <em>ascending</em>.</p><p></p><p>(2) Eliwyn, also known as the Life-Tree (or World-Tree), was the last “child” of the first-generation (elemental) gods. On her were born the four races that are considered to have a soul (dwarves, gobbers, halflings, and humans). A fifth race is rumored to be still ripening on her branches. For a long time, the goddess Thellyne protected Eliwyn’s grove.. until the forefathers of the druids showed up and offered to take over.</p><p></p><p>(3) “Life Stream”</p><p></p><p>(4) In this setting, the elemental planes are likened to 4 mighty pillars on which the world is built.</p><p></p><p>(5) In game terms, that translates into prerequisites based on certain feats, skill ranks in Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (the Planes), as well as mastery of one (or more) elemental language(s), and access to certain spells.</p><p></p><p>(6) From overt, the feud between <em>Saterists</em> and <em>Unulians</em> became covert. Masters began to train as many Novices as they could to insure their philosophy would be a majority in all the zones protected by the order.</p><p></p><p>(7) As of 400 AC, the order’s membership is made up primarily of elves and humans. Roughly a 45-50% proportion, with the last 5% consisting of other races. Members are recruited exclusively among bards (very rarely), druids and/or sorcerers. No cleric, holy warrior, or wizard is ever allowed to join. Still, all in all, one would be hard-pressed to assemble more than a hundred members (of which only 15% are of Master rank).</p><p></p><p>(8) Elven mages (most of them being <em>Sorcerers</em> actually) are in charge of protecting the life force of their fellow citizens and of “shaping” their environment (be it made of wood or stone). Hence, their spells concentrate on Abjuration, (White) Necromancy and Transmutation.</p><p></p><p>(9) Despite the fact that they are taught early on to respect all four elements, all members of the order must choose one which they endeavor to master in all its aspects. The First Test (becoming a Novice) involves earning <em>acceptance</em> from their element of choice. The Second Test (becoming an Adept) is about proving they have gained thorough knowledge of it. The Third Test (becoming a Master) demonstrates their mastery - through magic - of that element. Few Dvorraks who have reached the rank of Master devote time to mastering the other 3 elements. Those who do so all hope to, one day, become a Disciple.</p><p></p><p>**********</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mortepierre, post: 1849811, member: 9765"] [B]Prelude - part 2: Heart of Stone[/B] Drachenhold - Principality of Suress 399 AC - Stone elves territory Pelrind [I]ascended[/I] (1). Instantly, his body registered pressure all over his skin, combined with coldness. Moreover, when he tried to fill his lungs, his nose refused to obey, as if it was blocked. He tried to use his mouth and managed to gulp down some air through what seemed to be a small pipe held between his teeth. His eyes revealed nothing given he was apparently blindfolded. So, naturally, he panicked. Unfortunately, he was held tight, incapable of even the most rudimentary movement. Then, the truth dawned on him. [I]Of course I can’t move. Hardly surprising when you are buried alive.[/I] He forced his body to relax while his mind slowly remembered the chain of events that had led to this situation... ** It happened in the middle of the second century after the Cataclysm, right after the conclusion of the second Forest War, when the humans from Drachenhold and the elves from Suress had banded together for the first time in history to defeat the humanoid army that the druids had assembled to punish the humans. Druids - even elven druids - who had until then enjoyed the protection of the elven woods suddenly found themselves very unwelcome, if not hunted down. Not that there were many of them left... Most surviving druids were humanoids. When their troops had been defeated, they had blamed their elven and human [I]brothers[/I] for it and either retreated north or returned to the Wild Coast. Reviled by all, forced to withdraw to the most inhospitable locations to avoid being slaughtered, the few humans and elves still alive realized they were facing extinction. Then, almost miraculously, one of them - a human named Dvorr - had an epiphany. They had been fighting the wrong battle from the start! The very first druids, if legend was to be believed, had been a group of folks who discovered the location of Eliwyn’s grove (2) and became its self-appointed caretakers. Their disciples later spread throughout the world and assumed custody of the animals and plants which they perceived as Eliwyn’s defenseless [I]lesser kin[/I]. According to Dvorr, that had been a terrible mistake. While he admitted that protecting Eliwyn was important, he postulated that their primary duty beyond that task was to the world itself. And what was the world if not a combination of the four basic elements? Indeed, those very same elements had become the first-generation gods in the mythology of most cultures. Essentially, animals and plants were but [I]by-products[/I] of the world. As such, they were important only inasmuch as their destruction endangered the world itself. What really mattered was to maintain the elemental equilibrium on which the world was based. The elves, with their concept of [I]Ahlenh Gonh[/I] (3) - which they used to power their sorcery - were simply tapping an energy source that sprang from that balance. Dvorr theorized that the world could be divided into zones. Each zone was composed of a mix of the four elements, with some elements being dominant and others being dominated. For example, a range of mountains was clearly dominated by Earth and Air, while a marsh was dominated by Earth and Water, etc... Even if each zone was dominated by one (or more) element(s), the sum of all the zones was still balanced. For instance, if a certain number of zones were dominated by, say, Water, then an equal number of zones elsewhere saw Water being dominated by another element. Furthermore, to maintain that equilibrium, the world used what he dubbed the [I]dynamics of chaos[/I]. If the balance was disturbed locally, the world would react violently through natural phenomena to correct the problem. For example, if a lake was drained in a zone, the world would flood another zone to compensate (the crucial point being the preservation of the overall balance). The problem was that when the world reacted in this way, it was [I]blind[/I] to the consequences for the races that occupied the zone targeted. The elemental balance would be restored but the native life forms would have sustained heavy casualties in the process. [I]That[/I] was the kind of problem they should have been tracking and correcting instead of warring against humans determined to cut down a few trees. And since most races didn’t have the means to drastically modify the local elemental equilibrium of the zones where they lived, the druids would be less likely to arouse the ire of the natives. The others were doubtful. After all, what he was asking them would change radically their way of life. But, at the same time, they recognized that his proposal was intriguing, if not appealing. Druids already manipulated elemental energies through their spells, so this wasn’t completely new to them. Two accepted to become his disciples, an elf called Unula and a human named Saterus. They followed him deep into the wilderness and, there, experimented his theories. They refined their understanding of the nature of the elements through meditation, purification rituals, spellcasting and frequent dialogues with creatures they summoned from the four Elemental Pillars (4). Dvorr wrote down the sum of his reflections in a book he titled the [I]Codex Natura[/I]. He gave a copy to each of his disciples and then told them he needed to depart for a time on a journey through the Elemental Pillars themselves. Until his return, they would be in charge of implementing his teachings. Saterus and Unula returned to the others, filled with a new purpose. They formed disciples of their own and, little by little, the new order grew. By respect for its founder, they called themselves the [I]Adepts of Dvorr[/I], a name that was soon abbreviated into [I]Dvorraks[/I]. As time passed, it became obvious that Saterus and Unula didn’t see eye to eye on one important subject. Saterus believed that they were the world’s [I]vengeful hand[/I]. If the equilibrium of a zone was disturbed, it was up to them to choose another zone and disturb it in return before the world had a chance to act on its own (often with far more devastating consequences). Unula, on the other hand, was convinced that their duty was to prevent zones from being disturbed in the first place or, if not possible, to restore the zones concerned [I]before[/I] the world had to step in. Their disciples, of course, polarized along their points of view. Soon, fights broke out between proponents of what had become two divergent philosophical trends. And since members of both factions specialized in elemental spells, the battles proved to be not only extremely violent but also terribly destructive. Fortunately, both Saterus and Unula quickly realized that the only consequence of this fratricidal conflict would be to undermine everything they had built, jeopardizing Dvorr’s dream. Calling together all the Dvorraks, they announced a few changes to the organization. First, the members would be divided into four castes. In ascending order: Novices, Adepts, Masters, and Disciples. Advancement from one caste to the next would be based not only on personal power but also on one’s understanding of Dvorr’s theories (5). Furthermore, only Masters and Disciples would be authorized to train new Novices. Second, Novices were forbidden to take direct action to protect the balance unless acting under the supervision of a member of Adept (or higher) rank. Third, if it was determined that a given zone had truly become [I]unbalanced[/I], all members present in that zone (whatever their respective rank) would assemble and suggest possible courses of action. Then, they would settle on the one to follow through a majority vote and band together to implement it. The highest ranking member would be in command for the duration of that mission. These new rules nipped the schism in the bud.. at least in appearance... (6) ** Roughly 200 years later, the order was still growing though certain of its most cynical members would have referred to its condition as [I]stagnating[/I] instead. Dvorr had never come back. Infrequently, elemental creatures summoned by the Adepts would hint that he had been seen. However, any evidence offered always proved inconclusive. Saterus had died of old age but his philosophy had survived him. Unula was still alive and, now, the only member experienced enough to claim the rank of Disciple. The Dvorraks had slowly found acceptance anew among the elves although the latter refused to grant them the same kind of unconditional support they had once given to the druids. Among humans, the situation was far from idyllic due to the kind of new members the order recruited (7). Mostly, the Dvorraks suffered from incomprehension. Commoners could understand a druid’s desire to protect animals and plants, but the concept of protecting the world’s elemental balance was utterly alien to them. Even local authorities didn’t quite know what to make of them. Hence, most humans still viewed them as [I]druids[/I], only crazier than before. ** Like all Stone Elves, Pelrind had felt a deep respect for the mountainous home of his race from the moment of his birth. But this appreciation was coupled with an affinity for the earth that few shared among his clan. He would often disappear for hours, following crevices and galleries that led deeper than the territory claimed by his village. There, alone in the dark, he would listen - motionless - till hunger forced him to return home. One day, his parents - worried about his safety - asked him to explain what he found so fascinating down there. He simply replied that the Earth was talking to him all the time but that it was only when he was far enough from other living beings that the words started to make sense. Hence, the need to go where he wouldn’t be disturbed. At first, his family thought that it meant he was destined to become a Life-Shaper (8), a rare vocation that would bring much honor to their clan. Thus, they took him to the local mage, certain the latter would grant him an apprenticeship. Alas, it was not to be. The mage told them the kinship Pelrind felt toward the Earth went beyond the respect a mage has for the elements. His true calling lay elsewhere. However, he knew someone who might help and offered to take Pelrind to that person. Embarrassed but determined to let their son’s potential express itself fully, the parents agreed. One week later, Pelrind was taken deep into the mountains to the isolated home of an old elven woman who introduced herself as Unula. When he told her he could hear the Earth talk, she simply asked him if he would like to learn how to answer. Awed, he agreed earnestly and - without knowing it - took the first step toward joining the order. He stayed with her for 20 years, studying at her feet as she had once learnt from Dvorr. Then, she sent him to a Saterist Master to insure he would be introduced to what she called the [I]other ring of the same bell[/I]. When he returned to her, 10 years later, she pronounced him ready to take the First Test (9). Naming the Earth as his element of choice was the easy part. Being told he would need to be buried alive proved to be harder... ** [I]And so, I ended up here[/I] he thought. His mistress had taken him to a small, isolated glen. Once there, she had told him to dig a hole - with his bare hands - deep enough for him to sit with the top of his head beneath the ground. Before going in, she had made him take off all his clothes - apart from a blindfold to protect his eyes. To enter the Earth’s womb, he needed to be naked like a newborn. Once inside, he was given a long reed pipe, his one link with the surface and the only way for him to breathe. Then, she had buried him. He would stay that way until the Earth [I]accepted[/I] him. At first, he had thought it merely involved waiting patiently for a sign. So, he had meditated to while away the time. Unfortunately, hours later, he was still waiting for the sign... [I]This is great[/I] he sighed inwardly. [I]Buried alive. I should have chosen Air or Water! Well, maybe not Water. Drowning is like suffocating after all. I wonder if anyone ever chooses Fire..[/I] He shuddered involuntarily at the thought of what being accepted by Fire could entail. [I]Wait.. maybe I am going about this the wrong way. Could it be symbolic?[/I] He started to recap mentally what the Codex Natura stated about the Earth. [I]It is cold and dry. Solid and steady. Earth is the strongest of the four elements. It symbolizes the physical world. Its associated shape is the cube and its related number is 1. Hmm.. a cube has 8 corners, so why pick 1 instead of 8? Even if Dvorr viewed the cube as a square, its corresponding surface, the number would be 4, not 1.[/I] This reflection triggered a buried memory about a lesson Unula had given him long ago. [I]It was something about the.. - how did she call it? - ah yes, the Unity Principle. As the embodiment of the world, Earth is the link between the other 3 elements.[/I] With every square inch of his body in contact with the surrounding soil, he could feel the tiniest vibration coursing through the Earth if he concentrated hard enough. Slowly, he became aware of one muted but steady throb, like a giant pulse... He forced his own heartbeat to slow to match it. Dimly, without even realizing it, his consciousness started to expand. Molten lava was traveling through tunnels that were old when the world was still young, like veins of Fire. Rain was seeping through the surface, gathering in huge pools of Water underground, before being released once again via rivers, sources and wells, like perspiration or tears. And Air was sweeping in through every cranny to dance inside deep caverns, like lungs filling when you breathe. [I]Of course.. one body, one world. We are as one...[/I] Suddenly, he felt sunlight warming his face. Surprised, he tried to move and registered no pressure upon his limbs. He was free! He took off his blindfold but put it back on immediately when the harsh glare of the sun stabbed through his eyes. “Careful [I]fiuran[/I], give your body time to adapt once again” said a voice he knew well. [I]Fiuran.. Novice.. I passed?[/I] He took off his blindfold again, more slowly this time and, squinting, looked at his feet. The ground was undisturbed as if no hole had ever been dug in it. He frowned, puzzled. “[I]Aosda[/I], was this just.. an illusion?” Unula smiled enigmatically. “What does your heart tell you?” He concentrated, listening within him. The familiar pulse of his heart was there, as always, but he was surprised to discover another pulse that seemed to emanate from the very core of his being. A slow but steady pulse.. as if.. “The Earth! I can feel it ins-” “Shhhh.. do not say it aloud” she interrupted, gently putting two fingers over his mouth. “Each element has a secret, something It reveals only to those with the patience to listen and the will to embrace them fully. Those secrets are never discussed openly, not even among ourselves, for each of us must discover them on his or her own. But know this: you will never be alone anymore. Wherever you go, whatever you do, [I]that[/I] will always be a part of you.” She put her right palm over his heart and smiled again, but benignly this time, as a sister might smile to a younger brother. He smiled in return and then bowed respectfully. “Thank you, [I]Aosda[/I], I will remember. Always.” Abruptly, it dawned on him that he wasn’t a pupil anymore. After spending the last 30 years of his life studying, he would be left without guidance. A daunting prospect. “Er.. but what am I supposed to do now?” he asked sheepishly. “Now? Now, you start your journey. It is time for you to learn more of the world you live in. When you feel you have learnt enough, come back to us for your Second Test.” He bowed once again, filled at once with elation and dread. “Before you go” she added, “I have something for you. Call it a parting gift if you will”. She held out a small item to him. He took it, looked closely and wondered. [I]A silver key?[/I] Unula smiled enigmatically again. “Let’s just say this should open the door to many adventures for you...” ********** (1) Suressian elves view their routine meditation as a merging of their consciousness with their inner spirit to bring them in phase once again after a day spent interacting with the material world. Hence, entering this meditative state is described as [I]descending[/I] (within themselves), and leaving it as [I]ascending[/I]. (2) Eliwyn, also known as the Life-Tree (or World-Tree), was the last “child” of the first-generation (elemental) gods. On her were born the four races that are considered to have a soul (dwarves, gobbers, halflings, and humans). A fifth race is rumored to be still ripening on her branches. For a long time, the goddess Thellyne protected Eliwyn’s grove.. until the forefathers of the druids showed up and offered to take over. (3) “Life Stream” (4) In this setting, the elemental planes are likened to 4 mighty pillars on which the world is built. (5) In game terms, that translates into prerequisites based on certain feats, skill ranks in Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (the Planes), as well as mastery of one (or more) elemental language(s), and access to certain spells. (6) From overt, the feud between [I]Saterists[/I] and [I]Unulians[/I] became covert. Masters began to train as many Novices as they could to insure their philosophy would be a majority in all the zones protected by the order. (7) As of 400 AC, the order’s membership is made up primarily of elves and humans. Roughly a 45-50% proportion, with the last 5% consisting of other races. Members are recruited exclusively among bards (very rarely), druids and/or sorcerers. No cleric, holy warrior, or wizard is ever allowed to join. Still, all in all, one would be hard-pressed to assemble more than a hundred members (of which only 15% are of Master rank). (8) Elven mages (most of them being [I]Sorcerers[/I] actually) are in charge of protecting the life force of their fellow citizens and of “shaping” their environment (be it made of wood or stone). Hence, their spells concentrate on Abjuration, (White) Necromancy and Transmutation. (9) Despite the fact that they are taught early on to respect all four elements, all members of the order must choose one which they endeavor to master in all its aspects. The First Test (becoming a Novice) involves earning [I]acceptance[/I] from their element of choice. The Second Test (becoming an Adept) is about proving they have gained thorough knowledge of it. The Third Test (becoming a Master) demonstrates their mastery - through magic - of that element. Few Dvorraks who have reached the rank of Master devote time to mastering the other 3 elements. Those who do so all hope to, one day, become a Disciple. ********** [/QUOTE]
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