ILLUMINATION'S

[Praylor Falcus]

(OOC: Praylor's journal is written to TORAN personally, He speaks to him and ask of him as a son would his father.....and he fears not TORAN but only failing him as a son would fear failing his father.....please read with this in mind......)
 
 
 ILLUMINATION'S : Tales of a candle in the darkness
 
 
 I know it has been long you have wondered why I have not put forth the effort to place my thoughts to paper as so many have and do to this day. Tis that i have often wondered if i would or could matter in such a vile place as this mistone is, for every form evil walks these lands, some are arrogant,boastful ,corrupt and delight in the suffering of others...and this is why i felt my flame may not burn long enough to matter...that and the fact that the evil is far beyond the means to fight it, the equipment is woefully weak and those that possess such equipment have personal agendas and fear the evil more than I.
 
 So I have done what i can and brought forth the light in what way my meager means allows, I will not tell ye the ALL WATCHING of my past deeds, for you know them and shield them from those of evil, one need but watch those around me to see that I am trusted and none fear to ask me for aid no matter the ease of the task....for i take thy words and my vow seriously......we are to aid all in need and if we forget the least among us, we are no better than the evil we fight.....for what are we but reflections of those that guide us and from whom does the student learn from but his teacher or mentor.....I am some what harder upon the youthful Toranites as I am trying to instill the self reliance and self confidence required for them to lead and not follow.....as is our way. While some hold true to their vows some have fell to the lure of greed and some to the lust of senseless slaughter.....but while many are called, few answer and fewer still are worthy of the light.
 
 I am not with out fault as thou know est, I felt the lure of greed, the flesh and the lust of battle. But while these distractions have touched my being i have with thy wisdom and guidance fought and beat back each in it's own sted. I am not immune to these afflictions ....far from it, but thy wisdom and teachings have taught to me the folly of their mindless persuance, for what is the worth of wealth compared to thy worth in the eyes of others, and the lure of the flesh is but the antithesis of what is desired by the soul of all.....True love.......not based upon thy beauty at the time or articulation of speech, but true undying and all forgiving love, as that of a mother for her child. The senseless slaughter of a foe far weaker than thee is the hardest and most often of my trials ...for what honor is there in taking the life of one weaker for no purpose other than sport, this is not the lives taken while with others seeking resources for their crafting mind you but to go and kill just for the fun of it, I have struggled with this delima for some time and have made my peace as such. While training is needed, it is best to get it when recovering resources and on the rare occasion others seek to explore and know the lands better...and of course to rescue a fallen friend or one in need whom is put before thee......and as in the later case the slaughter of foes weaker than thou in the aid of another ....that aid supersedes the concerns of slaughtering the weaker foes. For to give of thy self for another is the highest calling we can aspire to and those that seek it not are doomed to the darkness of their own making.

[Praylor Falcus]

I thank thee TORAN for thy gift and am humbled that thou hast deemed me worthy of such an honor.
 
 Tis that, Thou hast answered my prayers and let me know after these long years that i am at least in thy sight, and as such i am now emboldened to take the next step in thy service. That of becoming one of thy champions, I know much is required of me and many are the test i must pass to even be considered for such an honor, but tis a step i feel i must pursue to better serve thee.........I from this day will try to write of my service though i feel it is known to thee something tells me a record of such should be placed for them to see of the church for consideration.
 
 I will begin with my deeds of last night, I was in the hamlet of Hlint when a large group of adventures ill equipped to undertake the journey they were discussing, was placed before me .....i interjected and moved the interest to something less deadly and more of a learning experience and training for those of not our faith. The only draw back was it was a large group and some what hard to control...forcing me to charge forth more than i liked but needed to ensure the safety of all involved...We started west of thy temple in Fort LLast and proceeded to rid the zangie river of a tribe of ogers that had taken up camp near there, while i was preparing for battle, some had already started to engage the ogers not waiting till all were prepared and caused some disruptions in the front line of group .....my only recourse "having gotten prepared by then" was to charge through the line and cause the focus of the ogers to center upon me......my sword was true and the glory of Toran is mighty to see as the ogers surrounded me and fell like cord wood in a nice little circular formation...as the last fell i saw another approach from the north the group was heading for it so i followed ...it fell before i got there and
 went forth to check the trees for stragglers . After dispatching a few more ogers i began check the group for wounds and told them to heal...as i made my way to the bridge i slowed to allow the gathers time to complete their task and moved to the next area i had seen evil.
 
 This area is just south of Krandor near the broken forest...i had noticed two different camps of ogers in these woods and had seen a mage among them i proceeded to the area and heard the sounds of combat behind me..it was this that caused the split of our group into a smaller more manageable force as one foolish adventurer had stirred up some of the killer vines that lay in wait for the uniformed and one of the party had fallen to these abominations.
 
 The new reformed group of five counting myself then ventured to Fort hope and after a short rest and meditation for some we entered the the sword rust mountains. The group was composed of a young sea elf female, whom ask everyone to call her "Blue" , a dwarven mage named "Erk", a religious warrior of an unknown faith named Lif'lo and a young archer who's name escapes me but he fought well and should not be slighted because of my failure to recall his name. we proceeded to decimate the gnollls before the Gnolls Watchtower and beyond and moved into the blood desert for more orgers, from there we made our way to spellgard and the gulf a bargia and cleansed the road of every abomination we could find. then young sea elf Blue , grew tired and the young archer seconded the need for some lengthy rest so we made our way to Haven where all were familiar with the surroundings and could find their way to Hlint .......Lif'lo and Erk were up for a little more so i ask them if they had heard of the merc's near haven and wished to join me on a look see. this was most fruitful as we found two camps of merc's that we quickly dispatched and made travel in this area safe for a time...........at this point the others showed their desire to join Blue and the archer in Hlint ..i made my way there as well and retired for evening ...resting knowing that i had showed some wonders that had only heard of and done it with only one fallen and that done out of my reach and sphere of protection.
 
 So it is with this I awake in thy glory and seek to do the same or even greater things should thee deem me worthy of having them placed before me in thy infinite wisdom.

[Praylor Falcus]

nothing much today happening mined some iron and made some gears and stuff for Gilli , he's ask me to acquire some raw ore for a project and i think i will be doing that on the morrow ...was really quite in town today not much happening ..so I'll sign out for now

[Praylor Falcus]

Again not much happened i started the day by mining ore from haven alone, and upon my third trip was join by two new comers, a halfling named Sab and the young sea elf, whom i had met on a previous patrol.......after assisting them till they were loaded with sufficient ore i returned to Hlint and ate and was resting when it came to my attention a young mage was about to venture into the red lights for the goblin chief's head ..i promptly donned my armor and went to assist.
 
 Oh this was almost criminal, i remember my first trips into this place "the red lights" and how formidable these goblins seemed .........this time i made it all the way to the third level before i felt the need to even cast shield ...the only complaint of the young mage i was helping was it was to fast and i was killing the goblins to quickly for her to get off a spell...i of course retarded my attacks and allowed her to feel more involved in what we were doing .
 
 
 So it's back to Hlint ....maybe tomorrow you will see fit to begin my testing to be thy champion ..as i am aware patients is one of the virtues i must be tested in. I humbly await thy call call to begin my journey to be thy champion.

[Praylor Falcus]

So it has begun, I have been training the last few day's and find my skills growing in tactics and implementation. While the actions of others mystify me at times i have learned to watch and not comment on their deeds as long as they are not harming others.
 
 The concept of keeping a record of my assistance to others still seems to taint my vow i made to thee, the third ringing in mine ears every time i think on this subject. As it seems like bragging, and one can always paint oneself in a golden light , if it is them writing the narrative. Perhaps a place where others could go and tell of ones assistance would remedy this, Mayhaps a bug in Ortheus's ear would rectify this, For only those truly helped would take the time to record such an action......as to my actions pertaining to the seventh code...i will of course have to write of them, for the mortals of the church of course as thou art ever with me and know mine actions already.
 
 Sister Dora bestowed upon me a great gift, you and she know of it already ......but i to know at what cost she made this gift and am forever in her debt. Sister Maev's situation is cause for a saddening of my heart as She was thy first contact on mistone to the glory of thy service. Brother Quantium seemed to take it most hard and was blaming himself for Maev's action and the plague seemed to weigh heavy on his heart...Perhaps some token of forgiveness from thee either in private or public as thee deem fit would unburden his heart of this.
 
 I have a growing concern with the actions of the woods folk......the druids and ranger types......It seems they are growing more and more to think everything belongs to them and the welfare of a rock is more important than that of a living being.....this most recently manifested itself in the actions of a druid to place the bounty on the head of a person for taking animal hides which they used for their livelyhood...If my perception is wrong please show me in some way, thy wish for attitude on this subject...as thy know i have never taken a life with out a cause and while no giant, ogers, goblin or bug bear has seen me flee a fight many are the deer and boar that have seen my backsides to avoid their deaths
 
 Now as to my seventh code actions .......I have been to dregar, the iron hills and the saudarian desert, on a number of occasions to mine gold, silver, alexandrite, and topaz, I have of course worked the ore into ingots and the stones are mostly cut and polished. On mistone i have been to the cave near velensk for topaz and to the haven mines for iron and amethyst. I made two trips to the far north, the ice isles for alexandrite and sapphire, and both have been worked and are ready for the next step of making of the final product. I have spent most of my time on Rilara fishing and training against the giants that infest the woods near lake Rillion, the fish caught is given to the needy of Hlint and to whom ever ask for food in my travels. Finally i have declined to join three groups of adventurers because the party contained some whom are not worthy of thy protections......my rule is self imposed and while i do sometimes travel with less than i would normally, tis to make sure one not knowing or just eager to adventure is in the party and i provide them with the needed protection and most times when they see the unsavory actions of the afore mentioned beings i will escort them back to town ...while explaining the folly of setting out with a party that has no care for their safety or is in essence using them as meat shields to get what they want.

[Praylor Falcus]

Well the events of the last few days have been most illuminating. I will start with the most recent as it is freshest in my mind. It was a trip to haven that started it all and following is an account from my perspective.
 
 I have been focusing on my tinkering skills and as such need coal. I had recently put my combat skills to the test and found a method of reaching the bottom of haven mine alone. It was on one such trip i ran into Hrothgar, a fighter of some note though follower of no Deity to my knowledge. He ask to accompany me into the mines as he needed some iron, I of course accepted his offer and we made our way to haven.
 
 Upon reaching the town of haven everything seemed normal the cows and chickens wandered the city freely and there ever watchful Kit patrolled the streets. We entered the mines and fought our way to the bottom of the mines and retrieved what both of us had ventured for. It was upon the exiting the mines they strangeness began, at the stairs to the second level leading up to the first level in a place i had never seen ogers was a large band of what was at least twenty ogers, packed they were and load with magics and dust, which they pummeled me and Hrothgar with. We took a defensive position and after repeated attempts by the the ogers to overwhelm us we had reduced their ranks to a mere token of their original force. As they retreated to a position to regroup, me and Hrothgar made use of the time to bind wounds and recover what we could. It became clear they would not approach us, and as they stood between us and the door. The only course of action was for us to assault them. We did so and quickly finished them off and made our way to the first level. we then made our way out of the mines proper.
 
 Exiting the mines it was instantly apparent that a battle of major proportion's had taken place while we were in the mines. The thick smoke of fires and the smell of burning wood, bodies and cloth was filling the air. The sickly sign of of the living tending to the dead, reminded me of Hurm during the the plague. The only difference being, the green sickly pus of the plague was replaced with the crimson to red of blood. The healer frantic as they moved from body to body , pausing only to stand and listen for the moans of the wounded to guide them from one victim of this nightmare to another. Meanwhile Kit did the best she could to direct the chaos and had set up a place for each the dead and the wounded. She looked up with that look only a warrior knows........the look of "but why....why the senseless death, why the innocent, why do i still live while others do not". I turned to survey the scene and saw that Hrothgar was, while handling what was before him, needed to do something. To act at the horror that lay before him. I walked over to him and told him to return to Hlint and gather others and return. The fact that another attack might be forthwith being my thinking. He promptly left and I set about doing what i could to help until his return. This was not much as is always in times such as these.
 
 Hrothgar returned sometime later with others, whom have endured much for coming to the aid of haven and as such shall remain nameless. Upon arrival they began to survey the scene and ask many questions, most i had no answer for. Kit seeing the gathering and hearing the commotion came over and offered what little she knew, this as it turns out was woefully little at all. As the lord of haven had decided to keep information unto him self and a select few whom he valued more than Kit, a hero of haven and constant reminder of valor to me everytime i see her. She explained of a great vortex above the town and a shaft of light from south of the city. She also told us a group of people had went south and as yet hadn't returned.....she seemed concerned of this but unable to leave . She asked if we could investigate which most assembled agreed to. We headed south and found a large hole, seemed to be burnt into the ground, one of our party in tune with the weave saw strange makings and looked closer and discerned what to them was some sort of binding circle. Upon further investigation they found some crystals which they returned to Kit. After ensuring the road to the south safe for the time being we returned to haven. See nothing else could be done and the matters in town well under control thanks to kits guidance, we departed.
 
 I would like to mention at no time in my time during this was the lord of haven seen or heard from other than the time i went into the castle to see of his condition......he neither responded to my questions or acknowledged my presence.
 
 I returned to Hlint and eagerly watched the board in the inn for a posting from the town of the events. A full day had passed and seeing nothing and knowing of the merchants and others that us this road, decided to post a warning to travelers.
 
 The response was swift and brutal, it started with a note from one of the party......the same party that had left the town and not returned. She started with a note tacked to my warning post. It's tone and wording were most arrogant, as if warning travelers was some how a crime. It then escalated into a face to face with the notes author......a vile venomous creature devoid of rational thought ....whos soul motivation was the glory she sought from her aid to the city and the adulation of the lord of haven this would bring........so consumed with this need for glory was this creature , that she ran to the lord of haven and filled his ears with many falsehoods and accusations such the lord of haven felt the need to post a decree accusing me of slander.....this continued for sometime, this creature seeking me out and confronting me and the others with me. This came to a head when i responded to the lords accusations with the demand he prove this in a fair and open court. It was not long afore the lords servant came to seek a compromise as i am sure the lord had checked the facts told him and found them to be baseless and false.
 
 The post was hastily altered, the offensive portion torn away and the lords signature and seal placed upon the original post. The post still contains those of such a character must , a statement that if i had wished audience with the lord i would have to submit papers requesting so.........this is most sad as nearly every adventurer i know of has returned the head of the chieftain to the lord and no such papers were required. It seems the rules of protocol are best saved for times of crisis and the fact the lord must ask others to save his town must weigh heavy upon his manhood. The fact that i do this alone on many occasions and he is unable to do so must be considered when judging his actions and proper merit given to his motivations.
 
 
 
 Thus is but one of the many things that has happened since last i wrote, many are those that know me and many are they that seek to see me fail.....i assure thee tis not something i will let happen lightly and as ever your faithful servant.

[Praylor Falcus]

 So it has come to pass. While in Port Hempstead, a large group of seasoned warriors and adventurers were gathered near the gates. When a funeral procession past, most where respectful of this and most remained till the people having buried their loved one began to filter back through and leave the town.
    One family however seeming lost and stunned by the events, made their way to the gate and stood in humble silence, their children pale, malnourished, and sobbing. One adventurer approached them and ask what was wrong, another came forth and offered food, none foresaw the coming rage and blame that would be leveled against us all.
   The offers of food and coin only enraged the father, whom we learned had just buried his sister. The wife tried to calm her husband, but his recent loss let loose his pent up anger and emboldened him to face the cause of his rage. The "hero's " as he called us.
     I had raised the very concerns many times in the past, only to be told i knew not of what i spoke, now the gravest of my fears has come to pass. We have lost the trust of the people, and the best they could do was offer a crumb of food and a few coins. As if this would somehow fix everything. As allowing Boergar and Milara to dictate conditions and proclaim them treaties to the masses. As bandaging the festering wound of evil and proclaiming it solved, because it was not visible.
   I stood awaiting thy "Champion " to step forth and act, he stood mute and offered not aid or solution to the the peoples plight. Twas at this moment i had the Epiphany, This is beyond the Champions of the past, different times, different needs. Time for NEW Champions to step forth. Time for one whom wields the true weapon of TORAN to answer the call. Time for one whom is among the people, believes service to the people is the true calling. As thy left hand is the shining hand, thy right hand, which was once the Justicars, the hand of justice, must be reawakened.
    I wish to speak of another , whom I have watched and find worthy of thy consideration for this honor. Her name is Clarissa and she and I have traveled with and watched from afar. She is liken unto me in devotion the needs of the people, no request is beneath her and never have i seen her stray from thy teachings. I am aware she wields the bastard sword, not thy weapon of favor, but so does thy current "CHAMPION", and as such to keep the scales of justice equal unto all , I humbly ask like justice be allowed unto her.
   As to me , my deeds are known to thee, and the people are my judges. While some hate me, they follow thee not and most times act to please their god. Their attacks and schemes are merely to test me and my devotion. I know this and relish in their feeble attempts to trip me up on their understanding of thy code