The tall tales & tragedies of the Chattering Scroll Inn

[AurianaValoria1]

Silently, she let Arva join her thoughts, extending a thread of consciousness to him, feeling his happiness at knowing she was alright. Cursing her inability to leave the inn, she thought, There is no need to apologize, Kelemvor. What does not kill me, only makes me stronger. My only question is of when I'll be able to leave.

 

The god shook his head, "It could be minutes, it could be hours. These things depend upon the strength of the individual - physically, mentally, and spiritually. Magic, both arcane and divine, is a manipulation of will. It takes great amounts of concentration and control to produce desired effects without any negative consequences."

 

He was silent for a moment, as if thinking of something. Then, he extended his gloved hand towards her. "Take it," he said with a nod, "your lesson begins now."

[tokyobiohazard]

Mentally, she reached out and took his hand, a serious tone to her thoughts, I'm ready.

 

Arva looked on silently, feeling his pulse quicken, despite not having a chest, blood, or a heart. He worried for her, but also knew that if he were alive, she would never have grown this strong. I was always the one to protect her and now... Now my very life depends on her. If someone were to shatter that sword, I would be...

[AurianaValoria1]

Mentally, she reached out and took his hand, a serious tone to her thoughts, I'm ready.

 

Arva looked on silently, feeling his pulse quicken, despite not having a chest, blood, or a heart. He worried for her, but also knew that if he were alive, she would never have grown this strong. I was always the one to protect her and now... Now my very life depends on her. If someone were to shatter that sword, I would be...

 

Kelemvor's hand dwarfed hers, completely encasing it as he closed his fingers around her own. He opened his font of power to her, a temporary connection much like Rhaine's.

 

"The amount of magic you have available is small for the time being, and has been completely exhausted by your episode. Thus, you must take the power you need from me. Use your will to siphon my energy and heal yourself - you will do this with your own pool of magic when you are stronger."

 

He squeezed her hand gently, "Focus, Rey'ohnahn. Let your heart fill with the desire to live. Come now, focus. Bring yourself back into the land of the living with your own might. Take back the life that is yours by right."

Edited November 10, 2011 by AurianaValoria1

[GrueMaster]

Kalin groaned as he rose from the corner of the room, rubbing his head. It felt like it was on fire. Ha! How ironic! he mused as he walked towards the others. The elan was about to intervene the altercation between Selene and the ranger when Reona did...something... and then he remembered a flash of blue and being sent flying across the room into a support beam and blackness. Groggily, he spoke, "What happened? One moment you two were fighting, the next Reona..." He trailed off as he saw the prone form of the young elf. "Reona!" he shouted, and rushed over to her. She was barely alive.

 

He looked up at the others, accusation burning in his stormy, violet eyes. He couldn't help it when his mindblades appeared and fire wreathed the violet blades; the soulknife was too angry to care. "Someone better explain why my friend is like this," he said, his furious expression causing everyone to back up involuntarily...

Edited November 10, 2011 by GrueMaster

[mythicdawnmaster]

Selene turned to face kalin and said softly "the little one is beginning to become in touch with her mystical side... she has abilities similar too my own, the abilities of a world-bender. she can influence thing's with her mind and make her thought's a reality." selene looked concerned and said, "she unleashed her powers without knowing so, and it almost killed her, i used my own life-force too heal her and we must both rest" she smiled and said "she is in safe hand's" to kalin and assured him she would be fine. Edited November 10, 2011 by mythicdawnmaster

[tokyobiohazard]

Feeling an intense need for the energy Kelemvor had, she quickly sapped it from his reserves, the energy flowing freely like water. She told the world around her that she was supposed to be alive, that her body should be moving, that life should stir within her veins. She repeated it over and over, even wavering to the language of truth and magic that she was taught to speak as a child. Feeling a strange pulse in the energy, she kept trying, using the language to express her intense need for life. Repeating more and more, until her mind was consumed with those wishes and pleas, she persevered, for how long, she didn't know...

 

With a jolt, Reona was suddenly able to move her body. Her eyes shot open and her lungs filled with air, gratefully taking in deep breaths, reveling in the feeling of life. She moved her arms and felt the grain of the wooden table underneath her fingertips, closing her eyes. A thought sprang to her mind, Thank you, Kelemvor.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Selene rushed over to reona and helped her up, and said "my dear it is true then! you have the potential to be a world-bender" Selene pondered before saying "now listen very closely as i will only offer once!" she looked right into reona's eyes and said softly and clearly "do you want to unlock the potential of your abilities, move mountains and even bend the heaven's themselves to your will?" "this my dear i can teach you, i may have strayed from the path of purity, but that does not mean i do not know it's secrets and techniques." she smiled briefly and continued "I could teach you as a mentor and a friend, i know almost everything of this strange gift you have and will be happy to teach, so my dear what do you say?" she looked seriously into reona's eyes not breaking eye contact as she waited for her reply

[AurianaValoria1]

The grey expanse of the Fugue Plane sprawled for infinite leagues...flat, lifeless, colorless. Even the sky was grey, shimmering softly with a faint purple aurora. There was no day. There was no night. In the center of this bleak world lay the City of Judgment: an ever-growing, ever-shifting city of souls. The high walls that ringed the circular city no longer screamed with the cries of the Faithless. That had ceased decades previous. Now, there was a pervading...deafening...silence.

 

All roads led to the Crystal Spire. It scraped the featureless sky like a spear, a bright sliver of solid diamond at the heart of the city. Once glittering and transparent, it was now smoked dusky violet to match the sky above. It was at the top of this tower, in a circular chamber, that the Master of this place sat enthroned. He had retracted his mind from Reona's after the Bosmer used his energy to heal herself. He then heard her distant thanks and took it as his cue to sever the connection. Now, it was business as usual.

 

There were no trappings of godhood to be found in the chamber. No banners or curtains, no jewels or gold. Simply a throne made from the same crystal as the Spire. A window, interrupted only twice by support walls as it circled the chamber, offered an unhindered and unparalleled view of the metropolis of the dead. It was at this vista that the Judge of the Damned returned his gaze upon - shifting the city slightly this way, slightly that way - to accommodate the constant fluctuation in the number of inhabitants.

 

Seconds, hours, centuries...it was all the same. Time had no meaning. Nothing but eternity awaited him. It was Immortality. But it wasn't living forever. No. It was existing. There was, indeed, a difference. And it was to eternal existence that he had ultimately condemned his most faithful follower. It was a reward of cruelty - a gift of sacrifice. She had better enjoy her mortal days while she could. She would never be able to get them back...

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of ivory-white arms snaking about his neck, nails painted scarlet, wrists draped in golden bangles. A strong perfume permeated the air, and he felt a head press to the side of his own.

 

"You are moody, young brother. Talk to me, sweet Kelemvor," a female voice purred.

 

He stiffened, gloved hands clenching the arms of his throne, "I have no desire to speak with you, Sune."

 

The face of the goddess of love came from around the side of the throne, looking into his mask. Her flawless face held a disappointed expression, her full ruby lips curled into a pout. Her pale green eyes glowed softly, framed by the fire-red curls of hair that fell to her waist. "You lawful types are such spoil-sports."

 

Kelemvor unhooked her arms from around his neck, "And you chaotic types are nothing but trouble. Now please, I have duties to attend to."

 

She walked to the window, directly in front of his line of sight, and sat down on the sill. Her semi-transparent white gown, cut both dangerously low and high, fell to the side as she crossed her legs, showing a shocking length of thigh. "Oh, come now...indulge me."

 

The god of the dead sighed, "As much as it would be an honor for me to entertain you, Lady Firehair, I am really rather occupied for the time being."

 

Sune smirked, "Occupied with visiting your Chosen, yes?"

 

"Is it any of your business?"

 

"Affairs of the heart are always my business, don't you know?" She smiled seductively, "She's so pretty. And you, my dear, have made her even more so. You've even given her a chance to dwell at your side..."

 

"Rhaine has earned her place here through sweat and blood. She has also earned my gratitude - our trust is mutual." He said flatly.

 

The goddess laughed, "And what else is mutual, I wonder?"

 

Kelemvor stood abruptly, striding to the window on the opposite side of the chamber, his back to Sune, "If you are implying that your influence has taken hold with me, you are sorely mistaken. What heart I have is passionless and cold...you and your ilk saw to that decades ago."

 

"I know how you felt when Mystra died."

 

"And whatever love was left in me died with her that day!" He retorted angrily.

 

Sune walked over to him, leaning against the sill and placing a hand upon his armored shoulder, "You are not passionless, Kelemvor. And you cannot make yourself so. You possess anger and hatred for the undead, both of which are passion. You are merciful and generous to your followers and to the deceased, both of which are compassion. No matter how hard you try to hide your emotions behind a mask or veil your heart behind a steadfast will, you will always have them. Being a god means ruling and judging without humanity. It does not mean you can and must eliminate your human traits entirely."

 

She continued, her tone devoid of any teasing or seduction, "And you are not yet truly cold. But this you can become. And if you do, you shall fall to darkness. Your misery and anger will consume you, and you will be like Cyric and Myrkul before you. You must feed your love for goodness and right, or all of this," she gestured to the city outside, perfectly ordered, perfectly peaceful, "will be in vain. Do not be afraid of your own heart. Control it, but do not suppress it."

 

She removed her hand from him as he turned his silver face to her. He was silent and still for many moments. One would have thought he had turned to clothed stone. Finally, he quietly replied, "Our discussion has ended, Sune. You have wasted enough of my time. You know the way out." With that, he vanished from the tower.

 

Sune smiled to herself as she, too, vanished. She had won.

Edited November 11, 2011 by AurianaValoria1

[tokyobiohazard]

Reona's cold, blue eyes sparkled with a distant thought as she thought of the things she could do, the people she could help, with this power under control. Slowly, she nodded and said "Yes, I shall become your pupil. I'll not squander and opportunity such as this."

 

Arva stirred slightly and smiled through his pain, I'm glad you're going to be able to keep yourself safe without me.

[GrueMaster]

Selene turned to face kalin and said softly "the little one is beginning to become in touch with her mystical side... she has abilities similar too my own, the abilities of a world-bender. she can influence thing's with her mind and make her thought's a reality." selene looked concerned and said, "she unleashed her powers without knowing so, and it almost killed her, i used my own life-force too heal her and we must both rest" she smiled and said "she is in safe hand's" to kalin and assured him she would be fine.

 

Kalin, still a little miffed, allowed the blades and flames to fade away. "One hell of a way to awaken one's potential," he muttered, and he knelt by Reona's form, concern for his friend plain on his face. He felt an odd yet familiar feeling emanating from her. It worried him. "I don't like this. Not one bit." He closed his eyes and chanted a prayer to the Sun Lord, hoping that his god will watch over her and grant her strength, and to lend him guidance in what he was going to do.

 

The soulknife was about to link his mind with Reona's when a light but powerful entity entered his mind. Surprise froze him where he knelt, for Kalin knew this presence. Milord! he thought to Amaunator, joy and wonder filling his heart and mind. You seem...different... now. What happened?

 

Other matters had risen that required my attention, the Sun God projected, and I have had to search for you. When the demongate collapsed, the magical energies somehow blinded my sight to you. Now it is no longer blocked and I have found you, and I wish to reward my champion, for you have done the world a great favor, and you have suffered so much...

 

Kalin was about to respond when unbelievable pain seared through his back, as if a thousand spears were constantly stabbing into him. He screamed in agony, verbally and mentally causing everyone around him to clutch their heads in pain as the mental cry reached them. He felt his hands claw at his armor and shirt and pull them off. Then the pain intensified even more, and Kalin blacked out. As consciousness left him, the elan heard these last few words from Amaunator as the god left his mind: Guard your friends, my son, for they shall have dire need of you...

 

As Kalin lay passed out, a set of feathered wings burst out from his back, the feathers tinted crimson-orange, as of the color of the rising sun...

Edited November 11, 2011 by GrueMaster