Author Topic: The Journals of Connor Garvill (Read 5694 times)

Dorganath · « **Reply #80 on:** December 16, 2005, 06:20:00 AM »

*This entry is a hurried mess of symbols written then crossed out or partially obscured by blots and smears of ink. THere are several attempts at writing down something, possibly something not meant to be read easily, however nothing makes even the slightest bit of sense and most of it is simply rendered illegible. The only two words even remotely recognizable are "red" and "black" written in what appears to be a form of elvish.*
*Finally, a large X is drawn over all of it, and the journal was closed while the ink on the page was still wet.*

Dorganath · « **Reply #81 on:** December 22, 2005, 01:23:00 PM »

Perhaps not our best work in the Tower of Strands. We weren't organized like we should have been. Rev and Rolf were off...who knows where. Athus too...or was he just sleeping somewhere? Rufus took a big nap, scarcely moving the whole time. That odd Rashar character finally caught up with us...Don't know why, but I really have a hard time trusting him. Can't blame him for being curious, but it was his pokings that infected Brac', Jharl and Savin with some strange spore or infection. The infection turned Savin and Jharl into fiends...Brac' was able to resist somehow, though he wouldn't have lasted much longer.
Luckily Plen found a horn in a chest...a horn that appears to have come from a unicorn, of all things. The horn, in Plen's hands, was able to cure them of their fiendish states before they did something bad.
Most of the tower's golems are now...non-functional, except for those creepy ones in the entry way, and this one that looked like it was formed of solid mithril. We left that one alone. Too bad we didn't leave other things alone.
Some paintings, painted with some sort of magic paint, held something bound....though I'm still not sure what. Four paitings, two each of what appeared to be a celestial deva and some sort of female demonic creature. Releasing the bindings made the tower shake violently and the paint melted from the canvas, but seemed to have no other effect, at the time anyway.
There's what looks like a unicorn caged up in a small chamber. I say looks because there's a stump where its horn should be, and the horn Plen found seems to fit. Plen and Brac' tried to restore the horn to the creature, but it didn't work...something was wrong. It sought the essence trapped in Acacea's little glass unicorn, but the figurine started to crack. Oh, and there was something found that mentioned a tear had to fall in the river before they'd be free. I think maybe that means one of the flowers....
We found the summoning chamber, I think. Never quite got inside myself. We were attacked as soon as the door opened by animated weapons and this horrible fallen deva. The weapons were nothing. The deva was truly viscious in power and strength...we could scarcely harm the thing. Only Plen seemed to make any sort of difference at all. Alantha fell distracting it long enough for Plen to do some real damage....*ink blot*
It tore me apart inside to watch her fall like that...to see her nearly sliced assunder by that horrible creature. She fought bravely, and for that I was proud and thankful...but to watch her cut down as she was, unable to do anything for her...and then continue the struggle for my own life and those around me....
When it was over, I wept...and I don't weep. I've buried these kinds feelings so long, they almost feel unnatural to me, and yet they have come back to me with a surprising rush that feels completely natural, if a bit disorienting. I wept until Plen mended her broken form, healing the wounds and restoring life to her....tears falling upon her lifeless face...The vision I had on that strange island is beginning to make more sense...and yet...
Eld is making things complicated...again... I generally trust her implicitly, but in her current state, I'm just not sure about everything she says right now. The things she's said about Alantha...and Eld's recent...overly affectionate demeanor. I don't know...I don't know... I never should have agreed to... *large ink blot*
I guess I should be flattered by her advances...to say I was not tempted would be a lie. Though I feel like it would be a betrayal...but what if the rumors are true? Am I once again to be played for a fool? And if so, by whom?
This is too much. I don't know...I just don't know...

Dorganath · « **Reply #82 on:** December 28, 2005, 07:28:00 AM »

Things are becoming clearer, I think.? Some things are, at least. Plans are taking shape, the depths of involvement are becoming aparent.? Our time grows short, but there is only one place left to look, though it is a big place.? Knowledge is power. Lucinda provides.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At least one of the rumors is true. She freely admitted as much. I can't say it pleased me to hear...I had hoped the rumor would be false, a misinterpretation by Eld's currently altered perceptions. I listened with mixed feelings as she told me...happy she was honest with me, but not so happy about the news. There exists a clash of cultures and pasts, of traditions and expectations, of warm feelings and harsh realities.
"What do you expect of me?" she asked.?
I don't know.? What should I expect?? Should I expect anything? "Honesty" was my only answer.? Right now it's the only answer that makes sense... the only answer that I truly believed.
"What does love mean to you?" she asked.
Again, I could not answer.? I thought I knew long ago, but what I thought was love turned me away as easily as one would extinquish a candle.? Since that time, I have known only the love of my new family and the love of Lucinda and the Weave.? This...is different...like before, and that scares me. Questions she gave me, her ideas of what love might be.? Could we answer them all "yes"?? It seems we could not...not yet.? At least I am not alone in that.? For both of us, the past remains powerful.
So many questions remain. How will I answer if...when she asks me again?

Dorganath · « **Reply #83 on:** December 30, 2005, 10:38:00 AM »

Eld tracked me down in Krandor...a resourceful one, she is.? Although I suppose it's not that big of a mystery.? Triba showed up too...I doubt it was a coincidence. But no matter. I had to talk to Triba as well.
It was one of those good news/bad news kind of nights.? Good news: Eld is free of that...thing, its time limits working as hoped.? Bad news: What we learned is simply chilling.? Good news: It seems we have some strong allies in all this.? Bad news: It seems that the cost of failure will be even greater than either of us realized.? Good news: Eld has retained all memories of her time with the mask, and has learned a few useful things in the process.? Bad (?) news: Some of the barriers broken down by that mask have stayed down... *ink blot*
The influence of the mask brought things to the surface which had been there all along, it seems. I had hoped they were just the mask's enchantments...part of the process that kept its wearer...maleable.? But once again, it seems I have been completely blind to what is right in front of me.? This is becoming a habit...Only this is different...or is it? Gods! This is so unfamiliar to me.? I feel like I have to choose...and in choosing, I lose something either way...

Dorganath · « **Reply #84 on:** January 09, 2006, 07:32:00 AM »

The Church is divided. Foul plots are at work that would tear the very foundation out from under Tower and Temple...perhaps even in a literal sense. The corruption reaches nearly to the top, a chilling prospect at the very least. It has felt very strange going into some of the places Eld has taken me during this investigation. I feel like I don't belong there...and I probably don't. Eld assures me it is fine, though I wonder if she really belongs there either. Maybe, maybe not, but I suppose that doesn't matter now. And together we've learned and accomplished things that I doubt would have been possible by either one of us alone....
Alone. For so long I was alone. I had my friends, my family, my peers, but in matters more personal, I walked alone. Looking back, it's not for lack of opportunity. Nevertheless, I now find myself divided in a way that has become something of a puzzle, and one with no clear solution. The times I'm away from Alantha, I miss her greatly. Our times together are treasures to be held safe. Whether gazing into her sparkling ruby eyes or watching her rest, or just being near her, I have no doubts about how I feel, or about how she feels. Though there is always that other...another I have learned to accept for now, because I too....*ink blot*
When we are together, I do not doubt her feelings for me, or mine for her, but how long can I continue to overlook the other who shares her heart? *ink blot*
How long will she continue to afford me the same consideration?
As happened with Eld and that mask, the walls inside that protect and separate have come down, and like Eld, I too am unwilling to build them anew. A part of me inside that was long dead now lives again, and hopefully will continue.
The puzzle remains...what of my own divided heart? What of the other...my other? There's some things I need to know...and a couple of people I need to talk to...for answers...and advice.

Dorganath · « **Reply #85 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:39:17 PM »

I am simply amazed at the strength and ability the Church can bring to bear on a problem, though that ability was nearly destroyed by widespread corruption that threatened to decay the Church from within. But that poison within the ranks is no more. The original 14 that Tempos bound to his will have met their doom while trying to fulfill it...or so they thought. *ink blot*
The long list of Guardians bound to lesser masks have been freed...mostly. The song of doom that was to unleash death and chaos upon the Hosting instead brought nymphs and seduction upon the musician. I only wish I could have seen that myself.
Things are back to normal, or as normal as they can be I suppose. The Weave, like life, is chaotic, and the Church reflects that...moreso than I had ever really considered. The wrongs have been righted, though not without cost.
And what's amazing is that the general public..indeed, perhaps even members of the Church itself...never even knew how close to disaster we really were. Looking back at the events of the last few weeks, I am simply amazed at what what accomplished...and at what Eld and I were able to learn and do together.
Eld and I....together. It wasn't long ago that I wouldn't have even considered it...always at arm's length. Lately however, arm's length has been much too far away. Yet I almost pushed her much farther than that. I don't think I'll ever forget the hurt in her eyes before she masterfully brought her expressions under control...hurt caused by a stupid question brought on by a seed of doubt planted in my head by someone who was only trying to protect me. My heart didn't doubt, but the mind doesn't always pay heed. Sometimes there's a reason, and I had to know.

Dorganath · « **Reply #86 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:40:23 PM »

Acacea is a strange one, and I mean that in a good way. She's generally happy and interesting...has a unique view on things, sometimes simplistic but sometimes that's needed. Last week at the Arms...late as usual...I can never seem to get there anymore when most people are there...Acacea was in one of her somber moods...which seem to come more frequently lately, and is becoming rather unsettling.
She kept asking me questions...though she did so in a sort of indirect way to keep everyone else (all 3 of them) from really getting all that much from the conversation. She spoke of our common task regarding the Angel's Tear, and that song she and Alantha sang together. Then she spoke of wondering if the song didn't have something to do with...certain feelings...about certain people.
To be honest I'd not considered that before. And when she first said it, I thought it was silly...but surprisingly, she almost made a lot of sense.
And now I find myself returning to that thought more and more....and what it might mean if true.

Dorganath · « **Reply #87 on:** January 17, 2006, 10:50:26 AM »

In the last several days I have seen Lalaith more than I have in the last few years. It was good to see my "big" sister again, though at first things didn't look so good for her.
I found her sanding in Fort Hope...looking half dead in both body and spirit. We sat for a long time and talked, as we had long ago. She talked about things that were bothering her, things about Owen, Tha' and Iradril. She tried to act like there was nothing else, but I know her too well for that.
Despite his current cruelty and darkness, he still weighs heavily upon her mind and heart. How many years has it been now? Six? Eight? And yet the anquish is seemingly undulled and so close to the surface. We never mentioned his name, but I knew who she meant...a brother to me, a husband to her...lost. There was reluctance to speak any further of him, but something told me we should.
Perhaps it was a dirty trick, but I showed Lalaith an image of him, a memory given shape by weaves of illusion...a memory of who he was, what he has become....and a faint glimmer of hope. I expected her to run away at this, to slip into the shadows and hide as she has so often before. But she did not. Perhaps she knew it would no longer work with me...or perhaps what I showed her is exactly what she needed to see.
I spoke to her of my beliefs about him...about the Grove and what happened there. We talked of what he gave me, and her belief that the gift I hold kept at least part of him safe and alive She eventually seemed to take some comfort in our conversation, in my belief in hope for him, and in my vow to resolve the situation one way or another.
I think it helped...sometimes she's hard to read. When we were done, she slid easily into the shadows, looking and sounding much better than when I had found her.
I saw her again at Moraken's Tower later in the evening, when she told me briefly of her ring and who may now possessit...and then we had another opportunity to speak while preparations were being made for an expedition.
This time I was the topic of conversation, for she had seen my affection for Alantha and found this very interesting. I suppose rightly so...for so long she had only known me to be solitary. The conversation also turned to Triba and why she blew up at me out on the docks. And so the conversation turned to Eldárwen...again, greatly to the surprise of Lalaith.
I spoke of my conflict...my fears...it was odd being on that side of the conversation, but it was nice for a change. A fresh perspective is always welcome.
Parting her company, I ran into Owen. I told him where she was, though there's no guarantee she'd still be there when he came looking. I hope she was, because they really need to clear the air. I think Lalaith may have been in the right mood, but Owen has a tendancy to put his foot in his mouth.

Dorganath · « **Reply #88 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:48:08 AM »

*A big fuzzy blank bit*

Dorganath · « **Reply #89 on:** January 25, 2006, 12:05:27 PM »

I made the decision in my heart before I even knew in my head. Part of me feels selfish for doing so, but I could not continue like that. For what she opened up in me, I'll always love Alantha...in some way. Love, it seems, is not always enough, and the decision she could not make, I made instead. My moment of clarity came when Eld decided to step back. I knew then that her own philosophy more closely matched my own, and that she was willing to do that...for me...spoke volumes. What followed surprised even me....the delcarations I made to her with such certainty, truth and emotion...and the sudden certainty of what had to be done next.
--------------------------
*the next part has a lot of places where the quill rested on the page a little too long*
By the gods... I never expected that. Such pain...such... I knew it had to be done, but knowing doesn't make things any easier. Why should I expect that though...I have no right to... And there was no easy way...how could there be? But she still has Cray, and Cray was in her heart first. I guess that should comfort me...but it doesn't. Alantha was my friend for a long time, and now that may be lost... but there was no other way. Gods how I hate hearing that. There's always another way, isn't there? I suppose there was, but that way was not my way. I could not pretend it was any longer.
--------------------------
The Rites are tomorrow, and I'm nervous as all hells. I don't know why I should be, but I am. Perhaps it's because I have aspired to this for so long, and yet events conspired against me at every turn. Now it's upon me...finally. Praise Lucinda!
Eld will have a busy night. Besides me, she's presenting what sounds like a dozen other people. And I guess she has to give a speech too...and I know how much she hatese speeches. Should be interesting. I hope I don't do like Allie did and spout off a recipe to the Warder, though just staying upright will be enough of a victory for me I think.
Then again, maybe I'm making too much out of this. I'll be fine...that's what Eld keeps telling me. It should be quite the event, though I'll be relieved when the ceremony is over.
I understand there's quite the celebration afterward. That, at least, I can look forward to. I could use some merriment.

Dorganath · « **Reply #90 on:** February 08, 2006, 06:06:54 AM »

I was beginning to think the day would never come, but it did...finally. What an event! So many new clerics and mages came to be Affirmed, priests and priestesses promoted, and to be in the presence of the Queen, the Warder and the Threadmasters and Threadmistresses and many other distinguished guestsI was a bit overwhelmed.
Even with Eld's comforting and reassuring hand on my shoulder as she presented me to the Warder, I felt like I was going to collapse. The Warder asked her question and my mind was screaming not to follow Allie's example. Somehow I answered, and she liked the answer. And then she smiled, called me "Brother" and that was that.
I stepped back and watched the rest of the line of candidates, probably staring at Eld a bit too much in the process. There were several familiar faces...Daeron, Acacea, Jharl, Ozy...Alantha.
After a seemingly endless string of candidates, there were around of promotions and awards. My jaw hit the floor when my name was called. Standing up with Eld behind me was bad enough. Standing before the Warder, the Queen and half the Church watching all by myself was nearly fatal. For what I had done for the Church during its recent crisis, I was given the keys to the Tower of High Arcana. I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything stupid at that moment, but I can't be sure. I suppose not because the Warder hugged me.
Eld got promoted to Threadmistress of the Cerlyn Wethrina. I was so proud of her. She's earned it to be sure. Though it's unfortunate the circumstances that led to that promotion, and the price that had to be paid. The Warder coaxed her into giving a speech, and despite her obvious discomfort at the idea, she was the very vision of beauty...to my eyes anyway.
After everything was over, the celebration began. And oh what a celebration it was. I'm told I had a very good time. I don't remember a moment of it...except for the beginning, and that was pretty much chaos between the fireworks and the mass of people and all the food and drink...and whenever my hand was empty someone put fresh drink in it...
Triba told me about it in the morning...when I stumbled out of whatever hole I was in...Something about coconuts and saying things to Meli and some kind of cotton ward... I just hope I didn't embarrass Eld too much. Though she was called to the Tower for some goo-cleanup reason, so maybe not.

Dorganath · « **Reply #91 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:50:35 AM »

Where to begin... So many events of note, and I have been lax in keeping this journal up to date. I suppose order doesn't matter so much, as all have happened quite recently.
---
Kat's been upset...alright, angry... at Eld. I can't say I blame her; sending Celgar to give advice on her choice of suitors really wasn't the best decision, but it's over, and I doubt at this point that their relationship could get much worse. On top of that, I had to tell Kat that the scroll Lar gave her all those years ago, the night that Veldrin visited me, was all a lie, and a lie of such great and deceptive magnitude. I should have known. What a fool I was to trust him! I never told Kat that it was Eld's scrying that revealed the scroll's nature. I'm really not sure if it would have helped ...or mattered... or not. But now Kat has made two more requests of me, neither of them small. And I have the original scroll.
---
And there was to be little rest for me that night, as Kobal's request of aid was brought forth once more, and we descended into the old halls of the dwarven clan, along with a vial that is supposed to be able to destroy a blood pool. Corrupted by curse and overrun with undead, the place was not even a shadow of its former self. I decided to lead Gam, the old and blind loremaster, through the halls. As we walked I questioned him about that lost runic alphabet that was used for that axe he showed me...and that I saw when I aided Kobal in his dreaming when we were captured those weeks ago. Oh, I guess I never wrote about that. Well, Gam, or Ga'Thagor, was bound to the Thane, who was bound to the ring and both were cursed and bound to the blood pool that corrupted the halls. The rest is all that dwarven clan stuff, which I admit I surely don't understand.
Anyway, the talk with Gam was very interesting and enlightening, and even proved helpful several times along the way. It's a pity that I didn't have more time with him...I know I only came away with a fraction of the knowledge of those runes, now possibly lost to time and curse. I've started to scribe what I have learned and will submit it to the Tower for archival and further study. Heat, Metal, Heart, Magic.
The spirits released by Kobal came willingly to his call. The curse is ended...the blood pool destroyed...somehow we got out alive. I never knew dwarves could run that fast, but I suppose an exploding blood pool is a terrific motivator.
---
Alantha answered Kobal's request for aid this time. It was a bit uncomfortable. I didn't want to start up a conversation that would delay or distract from the tasks at hand. Deep in the halls he said a few words to me....small talk really, pertaining to the challenge we faced at the time. I suppose it's a start, and better than silence. Maybe it's time to clear the air, now that emotions have died down a bit.
---
Xandrial is out of the picture now. Returned from whence he came, perhaps now stronger than before, but no longer marshalling troops for Blood. And we got that necklace that he's had for all these years, the Necklace of Souls...now in the hands of Shifter, as some had promised. Though I wish they were not all so hasty to hand it to him. What Lalaith told me about Shifter's "brothers" gave me some cause for concern...at least I think it should have warranted caution, but such restraint was not to be found, nor it seems was the willingness to listen to the messenger. Perhaps we worried too much up front, and there are other possibilities not previously considered.
---
Eld has been so busy lately. The recent disturbances in the Church have required some restructuring and clearing of the ranks. These activities have kept her away with Church business. I do hope things begin to calm soon, perhaps long enough for a vacation somewhere. Maybe I'll speak to the Warder. I'm sure Eld has earned a few days off. Though in a strange way it makes the time we have together that much better. Though I suppose we're never really apart. I can close my eyes and see her face, hear her voice and feel her touch. A memory is not as good as the real thing, but it's enough for the times we must be apart.
---
I've been spending a lot of time with Triba lately, especially the times when Eld is consumed by her new duties. It seems the two of us share something of a common past. We're both orphans raised by humans with almost no clues to our true heritage. Our discussions have once again renewed my curiosity toward my own origins. I think I shall make more of an effort toward finding my past. The first step, though, probably entails me getting serious about finishing my studies of elvish. I've had several friends offer to teach me, but always they have other obligations, and I don't need to bother them with my own needs. I have a few references, and I've become fairly good at reading it...in most cases...but my diction and comprehension is terrible. I need to speak and hear the language.
Triba mentioned that there are tutors at Blackford that could help, and I think I'll investigate this soon. And who knows, maybe I'll just happen to run into a certain priestess I like to call Amael.

Dorganath · « **Reply #92 on:** February 18, 2006, 07:23:47 PM »

Connor sits at his desk in his study, his head laying on folded arms atop a chaotic jumple of notes and parchments. A writing quill remains loosely grasped in his right hand, which twitches slighly from what was likely hours of writing. He breathes slowly as his eyes flit back and forth and the corners of his mouth twich upward in some apparently good dream.
To the side sit three identical tomes bound in brown leather and embossed with an unusual rune on the cover. If one were to open them the contents would also be identical and filled with writings, runes and diagrams. Atop one of the books lies a letter:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: Kobal Bluntaxe Regent - Clan of the Crescent Moon and Shield Mount Norand Dregar
Kobal, old friend:
I hope this package finds you and the clan well. This book contains all the knowledge and insight I gained from Ga'Thagor related to a forgotten runic alphabet, the old dwarven magic that once infused the clan's metalworks and so forth. Sadly the work is incomplete, as it would have likely taken a lifetime or more for Gam to relate it all, but it is a start, and a good one I believe. The contents may mean little to you, but it is my hope that another within the clan will be able to take this and delve deeper in to the mysteries and once more return help return the glory of Heat, Metal, Heart and Magic to the Crescent Moon and Shield.
I have included everything I could from my talks with Gam, as well as my own observations and insights. My own notes from those talks were quite jumbled due to the circumstances of our descent, but nevertheless, they should form a good basis for further work. Know that I am keeping a copy for myself, as well as submitting a copy to the Tower in Spellgard for safe-keeping and further research.
If you or your clan ever needs my aid again, you need only ask. The Weave protect you and the clan.
Your Friend, Connor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another note peeks out of the cover of another book, the only visible words are:
Tower of High Arcana - Spellgard

Dorganath · « **Reply #93 on:** February 21, 2006, 08:17:44 AM »

So many things have been happening...so much in motion. Some of it very good, some could become very bad, the rest somewhere in between.
Eld's duties seem to be smoothing out and our time together has been more frequent and less distracted by business and Church business. Lucinda comes first, for both of us, but still it is nice when She steps back for a bit.
Kat, however, has been seeming more distant of late. I'm not sure if it's something I've done or some other reason. She moved out...I came home to an emptier house, all of her things and those of Lisse's gone. I knew she was looking, but to leave without even a word...or a note. She says she left one on my desk, but then it would be there, and it isn't. And she has yet to actually give me her new address...to visit Lisse' I'm supposed to look for her stupid horse. Right...
But, I'll be changing my plans for rennovating the house. Lisse' was going to get her own room, Kat was going to get her own study for practice and recording her stories. I suppose it's good she moved out before work started, but now I need to make different plans. No need to accomodate those who will not be there.
The Alliance will open officially very soon, the last finishing touches being put on the tower right now. We've also voted to allow bards among our ranks. Being arcane users of the Weave, there seems to be no reason to exclude them. The vote was split, but a majority carried it to acceptance. The matter of Taislin has me concerned, and has me a bit at odds with how to properly address the matter of him defiling a temple of Mist, and in doing so not only made a bigger fool of himself but embarrassed the Alliance.
Speaking of the Alliance, Lia is much different now that she's free of Xandrial...though it's almost unsettling. She displays emotions other than contempt and hatred. Really not sure what to make of it all. I had grown so accustomed to her just being bitter and hating everyone. She was dependable in that regard. And it is her that has apparenly agreed to extend sanctuary to Taislin and work with Mist's clergy regarding his punishment.
I suppose we'll see how this all works out. Only one thing brings any measure of certainty and peace amidst the chaotic events of late. But that thing, at least, is very, very good.

Dorganath · « **Reply #94 on:** February 26, 2006, 02:59:30 PM »

It has been....years...far too long really.On achance trip to Hlint, I saw the twins again. Eld had said they were on Mistone, but for all my looking, I had yet to see them. It was very good to run into them. They've grown up so much, though in some ways they're still the children I remember...the ones that were so curious and mischievous. They had heard a rather absurd rumor about me...one I was eventually able to dispel, though it took some time as they were thoroughly convinced.
I was unsure how they'd take the news about their mother and I. Honestly, things went better than I expected...and Allie seemed to accept the idea more than Silly. I can't blame her really. She's thinking of her father. And Silly wanted to make sure I was careful...though I'm still not sure whether she was talking more about her father dropping mountains on me, or her mother.
Seeing them again got me to thinking about my own family...the family I left behind, the family I've developed here and the family I have not yet learned to know. The twins are lucky; they have such a large family of people who care for them, who have a history and a bloodline. Where does my own begin?

Dorganath · « **Reply #95 on:** May 23, 2006, 08:34:59 PM »

It has been far too long since I have written here. The march of months has passed on, the world is changing, coming to a turning point, I can feel it. So much is happening, for good or ill, change is coming.

My Eld has busier than ever, tied up with business with the Church and something else of great magnitude. Our correspondence has been slim, details have been few, our meetings fewer. Though now that the Arcane Alliance tower has finally opened, I don't think either of us is culpable for our lack of time together.

More blows have been struck against Bloodstone and his so-called generals. I honestly do not know if this changes anything for him, but it was quite satisfying, though strangely concerning, when we persuaded Xandrial to return to his own plane. Moreso, however were the literal death blows dealt to Drezneb and Eon, who fell before my eyes in the deep places of this world. Their blood pools too, now destroyed.

And Milara...He still walks and draws breath, but his plans are in shambles now, and his bloodpool is destroyed, and oh is he ever angry. We stopped him from doing...something. I don't know what exactly, but whatever he had planned was huge...and I have my theories. His stars have since faded from the sky, along with those of the Serpent. *ink blot* I'd like to think this is the last we'll see of either, but I know that cannot be true.

Dorganath · « **Reply #96 on:** June 21, 2006, 12:48:37 PM »

Connor steps from the door of his parents' cottage in the forest, the late-morning sun filtering lazily through the trees. The air is cool with a slight breeze that flutters the leaves in its passing. He is fully grown, but his features still show signs of youth. He's clad in the typical garb of one who makes his home in the forests...leather and heavy cloth in earthy tones, functional, durable and quite uninteresting. "I'll be back in a few hours," he calls into the doorway before closing the door behind him. He takes a well-worn walking stick that was leaning against the wall and sets out on the path toward town. Some distance away from his home, he passes a large tree, and a voice from behind it speaks. "You don't belong here," it said calmly. The voice belonged to a man, clothed in dark-colored travelling garments, a dark, woolen cloak and a hood obscuring and shadowing his features, who leaned comfortably and passively against the tree's mighty trunk. Connor ignored the man. He had heard such statements all his life, and he learned to simply not give them any thought and to not cause a confrontation. His only response was to keep walking without acknowledgement. He passed another large tree along the path, and again, the same voice spoke. "This is not your home," it said with equal inflection and tone as before, the same man leaning against the trunk. As before, Connor kept walking. As he walked, he approached another large tree and suspiciously looked around its trunk as he passed. Seeing nothing and no one, he turned his sight back to the path... ...and to the cloaked man standing in his way. The man seemed to stand in a shadow, despite the flickering of light passing through the swaying tree branches. Connor stopped immediately and stared at the man. He had a quality about him that was different than anyone he had seen, and there was something else...something less tangible that was both compelling and very strange to Connor. The man spoke again. "It's time for you to come home," the man said calmly. Connor stared at the man silently, the man's hooded and shadowed features ever unclear in the haziness of the dream. "You know this is not your place, your life," the man coninued. "I've heard it all before," said Connor in an annoyed tone. With those words, Connor began to step forward. "You are not of this world" Connor froze in mid-step and scrutinized the man more closely. The man's features and stance betrayed nothing. The forest seemed to fade around them, detail and color draining away, replaced by an opaque fog of dark grey, the sounds of the forest dampened and flattened and all attention and detail resided solely with Connor and the darkly clad man. Connor simply stared, not knowing what to say. The man let out what might have been a grin as he spoke next, or perhaps it was the change in his voice. "When you find your voice, trace this symbol..." and with a flick of his hand a coin arced and tumbled toward Connor. Without thinking, Connor held out his hand and the coin landed squarely in his palm. "...and I will find you," finished the man. With those words, the man took a step backward and seemed to vanish from sight in a blink and the forest appeared normal once again. Connor looked down at the coin, studying it's intricately engraved face. Tiny, cryptic symbols encircled the center, which was smooth except for a single, boldly carved rune. As he stares, the central rune flares to a painful brightness and a piercing screech....
Connor sits bolt upright in his bed, the gentle sounds of Krandor's sea breezes and lightly crashing waves filter through an open window to his darkened bedroom. His eyes adjust to the dim light as the breeze through the window cools the sweat on his skin. As his breathing calms and the images of the dream fade from his waking mind, he lays back down and slips easily back into a dreamless slumber.

Dorganath · « **Reply #97 on:** July 05, 2006, 09:32:48 PM »

*On a page by itself rests this entry, written clearly, though with an odd quality, and in a deep blue ink that seems almost iridescent. Though apparently carefully written, parts of this page bear dark spots as if smudged by dirt or ash*

Febra 4, 1402

The war is over.
Sinthar Bloodstone has met his end.

Dorganath · « **Reply #98 on:** October 04, 2006, 07:51:18 AM »

*Connor sits in is great room, a warm fire burning in the hearth. He takes a sip of wine and then takes up his journal. He regards it fondly for a moment, as one would an old friend who has been too long between visits. With a small smile that betrays multiple emotions, he opens it and flips past years of entries to a blank page. Taking up his quill, he begins to write.*

With greater clarity often comes greater confusion. For every question answered, so many more questions come to light...so many...mysteries.

There are many things to put down, far too many. So much has been learned that it seems wrong somehow to summarize, and yet I might be able to fill volumes with what has been learned.

Where to begin?...It's been a long time. I should have written this down before, when it was still fresh in my mind.

The device in the Minaret, the one that ultimately drained and corrupted the Ilsarians to supply its power, was unlinked and destroyed. Once we were clear of the Minaret, I began thinking that if one such device could be built, so too could there be others. Though it made me very uncomfortable, I analyzed the device from memory, having gotten a good look at its magical structure before we disassembled it. In doing so, and with Eld's help, I discovered it uses multiple misdirections to escape detection. I also discovered that it doesn't bypass the Weave at all...not really...but rather funnels everything through a Lucindite, presumably the one who created the device, presumably Narsil's "associate". Lastly, woven into every corner of the device was a particular rune, known as a rune of arcane devotion. It symbolizes an unswerving love for the Weave and is very personal to an individual. Eld told me it is unusual for an arcane user of the Weave to use such things, and it is very nearly clerical in nature. I can only assume this too belonged to the one who built the device.

Though this only further clouds the image. Why would a Lucindite, one so devoted to the Weave, act in such a manner?

I had a wonderful dinner at Eld's house. Nanna and the kids prepared a most interesting feast, castle cakes and all. Before dinner, a conversation with Meli didn't really help to clear things up any...at least at first. I showed her the sketch of Narsil's associate, and she identified him as and elf named Gildor Anwamanë, apparenly a mage held in very high esteem on Voltrex, and one of extrordinary power and ability as well. His family too is held in high esteem to this day, though he faded from the public eye about a thousand years ago. Many of his decendents hold positions of influence and authority throughout Layonara, especially within magical circles. One such is apparently Tári This made things seem even more confusing, until Acacea brought up Unicorns and what had happened to them by his influence if not his hand. With that, Meli told us things which would be considered akin to heresy among the Voltrexian elves. Suffice it to say, he is not as ideal as the elves would have the world believe.

Several days later, I went to meet with Neru, the Pinacles of Sight, along with Acacea, Alantha and Sala, in hopes that she could see more in the purposes of the various items we found in that box of Narsil's. I was floored to find all of the current Grandmasters in the room, save the Caller of Forms, whose position has not been filled since...the troubles. To make a long meeting short, we confirmed that the rune I found in a variety of devices all bore Gildor's mark, they helped us determine the nature of several of the artifacts, as best they could. The news was not particularly encouraging, for beneath their obvious function always lies another, hidden purpose. Tári seemed a little unsettled that her ancestor could have been responsible for such things. In all, there were a lot of questions answered, but still many that stayed clouded. One more disturbing thing: the Grandmasters are all the top of their chosen specialties in each school of magic. They admitted that whoever made these things was better than all of them, in all schools of magic.

On a side note, I can say honestly I enjoyed meeting all of them, though a couple could use personality adjustments. Most surprising was the Pale. She was really quite amusing and nothing like I would have expected. The Effigy of Four was interesting as well...he seemed to barely contain the forces he commanded so well.

One more stop in Spellgard, after reviewing with the larger group what we learned, and that was to speak with the Warder. First though, I took an opportunity to look at this pendant shaped as a crescent moon that was found in Narsil's box. It was a curious piece to me. It seemed to sing as it turned in the air. No one could really make much sense of it so far, not even the Grandmasters. They at least could tell it bore the marks of Conjuration, but without a caller, they couldn't really tell us much. I had a feeling that in the right wind, the pendant would activate, but I was not really ready to try it out. Rather, I wanted to be sure that the pendant was another of Gildor's works. So I examined it carefully, seeking out his rune among the strands of magic within the item.

What I found within the small pendant defied wonder and all explanation. Within was the Weave, in tremendous detail, magesty and beauty. Words wouldn't really describe what I saw enough, so I won't try, but to say I risked losing myself in it is not much of a stretch, and it may have happened had I not caught sight of Gildor's Rune floating and turning amongst the runic chains. I had at least one answer, but was no closer to understanding the thing.

The Warder... she still makes me nervous, though I don't know why. She's very pleasant, really. She was reluctant to speak of Gildor in the way we wanted; I was reluctant to divulge all I learned of him from Meli, but I eventually realized (with some prodding from Acacea) that it was silly to do so. The Warder had a book brought over from the Guardians, and in it were several works attributed to Gildor. She found one and had Sala and Alantha work the ritual under her supervision.

It was very complex and lengthy...Beautiful as well, both visually and magically. Clearly, the ritual was one of summoning, and by the preparations, it was no simple calling. The Warder assured us it was safe, but with the power of the ritual, it was difficult not to be apprehensive. The culmination of the ritual came, and it was truly a thing of wonder. For the briefest of moments, I caught a glance of blue-on-blue eyes and then, through the summoning stepped...a pillar of Lucinda Herself.

Her name was X'athia, and she was the pillar of Mystery, of the hidden secrets of magic. We asked her about Gildor. Her answers were beyond anything we could have suspected.

Gildor was once the Pillar of Mystery.

He is a master of the mysterious and hidden parts of the Weave, master of concealed purposes and hidden complexities. And he loves Lucinda and the Weave more than anything and without question or hint of wavering; his devotion to each cannot be questioned. The problem is, he loved her to the point of wanting Her as his own; he wants to possess Lucinda and by virtue, the Weave. She told his story in as much detail as she knew. Essentially, he is the cause of the war between Lucinda and Ilsare. This all has been part of some plan, and it's clear he still intends to possess Lucinda. The situation took on a new gravity, and looking back, the state of the flowers outside the Tower seems trivial by comparison.

I asked X'athia about the pendant. She said it's used to call upon spells hidden within the Weave itself...though she could not tell me what those spells were. Interesting, but sadly not all that helpful.

She gave warnings to Acacea and Alantha about what lie ahead for them should they continue on this course. For Acacea, it could be summed as a deepest despair. For Alantha, the pain of an eternally broken heart. I'd say neither sounds good at all. I pray these are but possibilities and do not come to pass.

In parting, X'athia spoke to the Lucindites present, and gave them each a message from Lucinda. When she faced me, she said...

*Connor puts down the quill and flexes his hand and rubs his eyes. Resting his head back a moment, he began to drift into sleep. With a startle, he sits back up straight and blinks several times. Gently he closes the journal with the quill as a bookmark, its tip sticking out the top of the book. He sets it aside, takes drains the remainder of his wine goblet and reclines a bit, staring into the fire as sleep slowly claims him*

Dorganath · « **Reply #99 on:** October 04, 2006, 06:16:59 PM »

Connor Close to the Night and the Mystery The Lady sends to your Her care, For the care offered and loyalty You show to Her and Hers. Delve within and you might find Truths are deeper than they appear.

These are the words spoken to me by X'athia...a message as close to coming directly from Lucinda as I shall likely ever see while I still draw breath. Though what this message could mean, I do not know. The second part makes perfect sense, especially within the context of the investigations surrounding Gildor. And I understand the part about care, as that seems pretty clear. But what does it mean, "close to the Night and the Mystery"? It is not hard to think that Lucinda would know more of me than I know of myself. It must be important, to have been spoken at all. It's a reminder that there is much about myself that I don't know, much about my true origins of which I am unaware. Or perhaps, it was just clever language designed to make me think....or maybe there's another meaning altogether. Or perhaps I think too much....