tokyobiohazard Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Arva's dream had started off pleasantly enough, with him watching a puppet show, oddly being the only one in the audience. The marionette-style puppets danced and danced in their tiny elegant dresses until suddenly, one turned its head to look at him, its eyes growing until they seemed to cover half the doll's face. Its mouth followed suit, becoming a large and twisted lipstick outlined grin, several rows of pointed teeth being revealed. Its clothing began to rip and become rotten, pieces falling off until parts of the doll's skeleton were visible. Another doll with a once-comically large bust stared at him with its huge eyes. One of the little glass spheres popped out and it continued to stare at him with one large, hypnotically swirling eyeball. The bow in its hair became mildewed and limp as its conservative dress withered away to become revealing and rotten. Its wooden limbs whittled themselves into sharp points, and it headed for him, crawling up his back and settling on top of his head, unmoving but petrifying. Hundreds of other dolls then began crawling up his leg with their limbs becoming sharp splinters of jagged wood. The 'leader' of the dolls still stood on the little stage, its eyes swirling round and round hypnotically. The puppeteer raised their head above the curtain, and was revealed to be another puppet, this one a boy in blue with limp yellow hair and a smile that was so large, it went not only from ear to ear, but curled up past its enormous, swirling eyes. A row of evenly spaced shark teeth lay within his mouth. It laughed in a high-pitched, shrieking cackle that sent shivers down Arva's spine, then in that same high-pitched tone, shrieked, "You'll be a puppet soon, too!" He woke with a start, panting heavily and covered in cold sweat. The darkness of the room around him was suddenly very frightening, after the dream he'd had. His eyes grew wide as he realized something, someone, was watching him from the small balcony outside. It was tall and thin, with a white, featureless face. Arva jumped out of bed, then began pacing the room as he lit every candle and lamp he could find. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a wooden mannequin, painted white and wearing his clothes for the wedding ball. Biting his cheek, he shoved the hideous thing into his closet and grabbed a book, sure that he wouldn't get any more sleep tonight. Edited July 31, 2012 by tokyobleach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Rhaine's thoughts receded, and she felt blackness envelop her. For a long moment, there was nothing but that warm darkness......then, there was a flash of light, and she found herself standing in a small room. It was like a tiny temple, very similar to her own in Waterdeep, complete with Kelemvor's symbol hanging on the back wall. She recognized this as the representation of her mind and soul. Looking around, she saw Sefris, Caladus, Nawen, and Xallistine there with her. They seemed different, somehow, as if they shone with an inner light, and the Doomguide recognized this as their own spiritual energy.A shimmering portal suddenly manifested in front of the holy symbol, and she began to feel a tug, as if something were pulling her towards it. Rhaine knew this from her experiences in Rashemen that this was the sign for her to move forward. She beckoned to her companions, "Come with me."With that she turned and stepped into the shimmering portal...-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------There was another flash of light, and she found herself in her old hometown of West Harbor...before it was destroyed. Peering around, she found a group standing near the village bridge, and she realized that she was seeing an event of her childhood. There stood her wood elven foster father, who had grabbed her twelve-year-old self by the arm and was saying inaudible things, gesturing angrily at a hooded priest behind her."That is me," Rhaine explained, "and this is my home - West Harbor. My foster father did not want me to join the Church of Kelemvor. That," she pointed to the priest, "is my mentor, Brother Dunstan."Suddenly, the twelve-year-old Rhaine whirled and jerked out of the wood elf's grip, her shout strangely loud considering the distance between them, "I don't want to be like you!"The hurt was evident on the elf's face for only a moment before his visage hardened like stone, and without another word, he stomped off to their house and slammed the door.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.This time, she was six years older, garbed in the robes of a priestess and standing over the deathbed of her superior. The room was quite dim, but the dying priest's face was surprisingly bright.Rhaine looked back at her companions, "That is High Father Gerard...the first Kelemvorite High Father of our temple. He asked to speak to me specifically as he lay dying."Gerard's voice and face suddenly swam to the forefront, "He…has granted me clarity in my final hour…he has shown me…the path that you walk. It is…paved with loss and death. A…darkness…creeps across the Sword Coast. Only you…can push it back…You…have been given your gifts for a reason. They…are the only things that can protect you from what is to come…and they are the only things that will enable you to succeed. You…you must trust in them, Rhaine. Trust in Kelemvor…and never lose faith in yourself…”-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.They stood in the courtyard of Crossroad Keep, a pall of shadow hanging over the fortress like a black blanket, even as the light of dawn began to turn the sky pink. There the Knight-Captain Rhaine Alcinea, garbed in her adamantine armor and flowing blue cloak, stood upon the battlements like a heroic dark knight. Her sword glowed with a frightening, pale green nimbus."This is my castle, Crossroad Keep," Rhaine explained, "And this was the fabled siege. That is I, on the battlements there."The Knight-Captain then jumped down from the walls, exchanging inaudible words with her lieutenant before a shady, scruffy man stepped from the shadows, grinning wickedly.The man's voice became clear, "If you stay on the walls, you know, you might actually live through this. Maybe. Or maybe I’ll see you in the Shadow Army before dawn.”“I don’t like your tone, ranger,” the Knight-Captain growled through her helm, “What are you talking about?”“Heh, that’s too bad…right now, you’ve got bigger problems,” he replied curtly, “This gate of yours isn’t coming down, which means this precious little keep of yours isn’t going to last long.”He waved an odd-looking gadget at her, “Don’t even try to repair the gate mechanism. I took a look at it earlier, and it was much easier to destroy than I thought. I doubt you’ll survive. But I will…because I am never on the losing side.”With that, he turned tail and dashed through the gates, out onto the battlefield. Then, the chaos began as undead poured through the open gates, slaughtering the soldiers before they could even react...------------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.Rhaine found herself in a stone chamber, and she recognized it at once by the dim azure lighting. It was the fortress of the King of Shadows.She saw herself fighting the forty-foot-high nightwalker...saw her companions destroying the ritual statues around her, trying to weaken him. The silver blade she wielded flashed as it sliced through the nightwalker's form with ease."That is when I defeated him, the King of Shadows," Rhaine said, "There!"The King of Shadows suddenly exploded in a burst of brilliant white light. Almost immediately, the dome of the roof began cracking, and the building began falling apart around them. The Knight-Captain and her companions ran as fast as their legs would take them, but they would never make it out alive....some had already been crushed to death beneath falling stone....------------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.She saw herself standing in an underground chamber before a shining wolf spirit, a female Red Wizard beside her.Rhaine suddenly began to feel sick as her dream recalled the feelings she had experienced in that chamber. She spoke, her voice shaking, "This is the part that few know about. That...is in Rashemen...watch and you will see what I became..."The Knight-Captain abruptly doubled over, as if experiencing severe abdominal pain. A savage, primal scream escaped her lips, and the Red Wizard jumped back in horror. Then, the captain was lifted from her feet by a wild red power, and this magic lashed out at the wolf spirit, drawing its life force into her...destroying it utterly...-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.Rhaine saw herself sitting on a bed in a shabby inn room, her knees up, her arms curled around them. She was sobbing her eyes out, clutching a holy amulet that had long grown cold. Her eyes were sunken, her cheeks hollow, her hair lank, and her complexion as pale as death."You are a spirit-eater...."---------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.She was standing with the Red Wizard, a hagspawn, a half-angel, and a spirit bear in a swirling violet maelstrom, upon what appeared to be a gigantic skeleton. They were facing his head. The skull's eye sockets glowed with turquoise light, and meteors floated lazily past as the companions looked up at the skull.Rhaine glanced back at Nawen and her company, "That...is the dead god Myrkul...in the Astral Plane..."The former god's voice grew in volume, until its raspy, high-pitched whisper filled her mind, "Yes, spirit-eater...you must do what Akachi did so long ago. Kelemvor will know what it feels like to be betrayed when his most precious Favored Soul - his most trusted servant - breaks his highest law!"--------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.Rhaine's heartbeat was getting faster, she knew. She saw herself now in the Basilica of Lost Hope, running far slower than seemed normal...running towards a tall hooded figure with desperation in her eyes..."That is the place of Final Judgment," she whispered, "on the Fugue Plane. And that is I trying to save the Voice of Kelemvor...trying to redeem myself..."The Voice was faced with a mighty host of angels, far too many for his guardians to hold back...there was no possible way for Rhaine to get to him before they struck...-------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.She stood before the Wall of the Faithless - the wall of screaming souls that ringed the City of Judgment - looking at...herself. Her own soul was trapped in that wall...where it should never have been..."You have seen this place before. Do you remember?"That voice. The voice of Kelemvor as he manifested behind her, his reflective silver mask looking down at her.Rhaine swallowed (or at least felt like she did), "That was the first time we met. After I invaded his city."She watched herself slowly turn around and bow, and she felt the fear that had filled her then - the fear of Judgment...the fear of damnation...------------------------------------------------------------------------Flash.They were back in the "temple." Rhaine looked from Nawen to Caladus, to Xallistine, and to Sefris."That," she murmured, "That is what haunts me nearly every night. Always the worst points in my life, or the times I felt the most guilt..."There was a strange sensation, and she felt that the dreams had run their course. It was time to wake up. With that, there was an all-consuming brightness, and they were propelled back into the waking world...Rhaine's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she sat up. Edited July 4, 2013 by AurianaValoria1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Only after witnessing all of this, did Xallistine now comprehend just how much the lady Rhaine had been through... the challenges she faced... he could only feel that they would somehow pale in comparison to the events that would take place in the future... He stood, his hands swirling with the white beams of energy from the Eye, it was connected to the head of each member of the ritual, and as they began to awake, the beams drew themselves back to the eye, where Xallistine was channeling it safely. The energy was now so intensive, that Xallistine held it in both hands, it crackled violently "Everyone... wake up!" He said loudly, he needed the beams all to return to the eye, so he could let go of the ball of energy safely. Edited July 31, 2012 by mythicdawnmaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaldurAnthology Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Caladus watched all this impassively, showing no emotion. When he woke from the dream state he stretched, and cracked his neck. "That was your past, and I see nothing wrong here. I know not what I am supposed to say here. My head is muddled, I think I need some air." He walked quickly up the stairs, and discovered he had been down there for the rest of the night, seeing bright daylight entering the windows of the Inn. He stepped outside, and leaned against the wall, shaken. Saerileth woke up with her head pounding, and feeling slightly ill. She walked downstairs, tripping slightly, and sees Caladus rush outside. She goes down the stairs she saw him com up from and discover they had done some sort of Dreamwalk ritual. "Remind me not to get that drunk again, will you? My head is killing me!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naktis Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Nawen watched and listened everything carefully, afraid to miss even the slightest things. She could see now that Rhaine was through so much more than she thought at first. She felt how her respect for the Doomguide grew with each step they took in her dream. It was admirable how one who had to go through so much just keeps on going. After all those losses and pain... Some places in the dream seemed familiar. Like the Keep, that she saw from quite a far only once and her home village in the swamps that she visited once it was rebuilt after the war with the King of Shadows and also that evil grinning man she met once near the Luskan border. Only he was with another half elven ranger back then. The most terrifying part however was the Wall of Faithless not only was it real but Rhaine's soul was trapped in there too. Nawen started to regret for even speaking about her faith issues with the Doomguide. Not after her adventure in Rashemen and even the City of Judgment was far from pleasant. She knew that after this Nawen will see Rhaine in a different light, but it wasn't a bad thing. Quite the contrary. The ranger's eyes shot open and for a few moments she just lay there staring at the ceiling thinking that maybe she's still asleep. She pinched her left arm slightly. No. She was awake. With a slight groan she sat up and stared at everyone in the room. She didn't know what to say. "I... thank you for sharing this." Nawen blurted out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaylyne Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Sefris shook her head, slowly sitting up and looking around. It was the second time somebody else's memories where inside of her head, leaving her a bit dizzy. And she thought fighting demons was meant literally...getting up on her feet, Sefris made her way upstairs without a single word to the others and looked at Xaos, indicating for her to follow he with a low hiss. The cat got up from Aedan's table and walked with her mistress outside, past Caladus and deeper into the town, towards the gate that lead to the forest. Edited July 31, 2012 by Alaylyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mythicdawnmaster Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 (edited) Xallistine channeled the energy in his hand, and let it loose at the wall, burning a hole right through. "Well that was that... my lady Rhaine... i cannot help but feel that what happened in your past will pale to what we face in the future... i will dwell upon your dreams." ------------------------------------------ Ravenna's carriage slowed in the city, so the witch could get a look of her surroundings, as they headed for the home of Reona. She passed the inn Rhaine and the others were stating at, seeing the male drow, he was of no concern at all... but there! further down the path was Sefris... The carriage came closer, until the passenger's window was level with Sefris, making sure she was concealed, Ravenna spoke "See you at the ball... dear Sefris." With that, the carriage upped it's pace, and continued on to Reona's home. ------------------------------------------------ Reona's mother was busy sorting through the guests list, crossing out names of those not attending, and adding names of these adventurers Reona had told her about. She walked into the hallway of the large manor, and looked at herself in the wall mounted mirror, she had large diamond jewelry on... well everywhere, with a fur coat, atop a blue dress. "Ugh, Reona is still not up! Silly girl, i need her dressed, washed, looking radiant so she can marry that lout and i can have all that lovely money! Ohh!" She danced around happily for a moment, and then walked into the kitchen. "FOOD! FOR REONA!" she screamed, and the cooks looked at eachother in surprise. The quickly assembled some food, put it on a plate, then with some orange juice on a silver platter. Reona's mother snatched it from them rudely, and made her way upstairs. She kicked open the door to Reona's room, and looked as her daughter slept... she looked so heavenly as she slept, and Reona's mother set the tray of food down on the nightstand. "Ugh, looking heavenly time done!" She said, and grabbed a slice of toast from the tray, she threw it at Reona and saide in a musical tone "Rise and shine little daughter! It's time for your party! Because you are marrying that lout! But it's okay because he has lots of money! Now get up!" She sung loudly, pulling open the curtains. Edited July 31, 2012 by mythicdawnmaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Rhaine simply sat for a moment, letting the vivid visions fade from her eyes. As she looked around the room, she noticed that her cheeks were wet, and her breath was caught in her throat. The Doomguide had been silently crying as she slept. Caladus ran from the room, and she feared that something was wrong. Sefris, as always, seemed indifferent, and left as well. Only Xallistine and Nawen remained. To them, she offered a weak smile, "No, thank you...both of you. I have never told anyone of these things before, and it feels good to share them with you. I am touched that you took the time to try and understand my grief." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaldurAnthology Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Caladus took a few shaky breaths, and sees a lamplighter come to douse the streetlamps. He held up his pipe as the man opened the lamp, and the man smiles, using a small taper to carry a flame from the lamp to Cal's pipe. Caladus smiled at the man, who partially blind, could only tell that he was a man with dark skin. "Been without a flint meself. Glad to help!" The man hummed cheerfully as he went off to extinguish the next lamp. Caladus entered the inn again, and went to check on Rhaine, already smelling slightly of the herbs he smoked. He walked over and saw she had been crying, His expression softened, and he pulled the doomguide into a hug. "Come now, my friend. There is no need for sadness. Your past is your past, and there is nothing wrong with you for it. If you ever need someone to confide in, I offer my services. Forgive me for being shaken, walking within another's dreams is not a place I like to be." He smiled, and stayed by her side. Fenrir the timber wolf walked up to Rhaine, and started licking the tears off her face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyobiohazard Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Reona awoke with a slice of buttered toast plastered to her cheek. Pulling the toast off her face, she grinned and wrapped her arms around her mother's waist, "Mummy, I missed you." It was true... She didn't want to be under the control of someone else, but there were worse fates out there. Still in the back of her mind were her plans, still important, but not entirely necessary... She quickly let go, and began to eat her breakfast. When finished, she dabbed at her mouth and sipped at her orange juice. Very differently than how she would speak while with the adventurers or the army, Reona began to speak the way she had been groomed to, articulated and lightly voiced, with a hint of dreaminess behind each word. "Mother, I like the new wardrobe you picked while I was away. The color is a welcome change." She pulled off her sheets and smoothed out the blue nightgown she'd slept in. "Perhaps Arva and I have done some maturing since we left... And my hair's gotten long enough to be styled a few ways, so there is a good change. I'm sure it will set trends across the continent." --------------------------------- Reona's father, Caderyn, stood in the foyer of the Dala'ess family's estate, propping himself up on a thin rapier. He was of middling height, had bluish hair, and slightly blued skin and lips, always giving Arva the impression that perhaps he was suffocating. He wore a silk shirt and fine wool leggings, his body not betraying any signs of his middling age. "No, no, my boy," he said calmly, shaking his head and smiling, a row of stark white teeth beneath his bluish lips, "Arva, it doesn't look quite noble enough. Try again." Arva nodded and with a determined set to his intense features, bowed at the waist in a flourishing and gentlemanly manner, "Charmed to meet you." Caderyn shrugged, "Better... But you still need practice. Have you practiced dancing at all?" "I haven't, but--" "The Lady Ravenna Everdawn approaches up the drive, my Lord!" An out-of-breath servant girl exclaimed. She was probably barely twenty years of age, and quite lovely. "Does she?" Caderyn asked, bowing his head in thanks, "Prepare one of our more elegant guest rooms, would you? And could you wait for her arrival, possibly? She loves meeting young women like yourself." "I... Yes. I will make haste." The girl bustled as quickly as she could to the biggest guest room in the mansion. -------------------------------- Ianthe yawned and rubbed her eyes at the morning light. With a panicked glance around, she wondered where she was. She was surrounded by pastries and half-eaten cakes. "You there! How did you get in here?!" An old woman yelled, waving a rolling pin. "I... think I was sleepwalking." Ianthe frowned cutely and wiped at her mouth, noticing raspberry jam on her fingers afterward. "These were for a ball, young lady! I can't possibly make all I need today!" The old woman pulled at her hair and began to go through her things. "You're a proper thief, aren't you?" A familiar voice rang out from the shop's front, "Ianthe? Ianthe, is that you?" In walked William the reclusive old halfling wizard. He had groomed his beard and was wearing glittery purple robes with a matching cone-shaped hat. "I found someone you might be interested in seeing!" Alphonse the stable boy stepped inside the shop, his red hair and green eyes unmistakable to Ianthe. His clothes were travel-worn and he seemed deeply afraid of William, but it was him. Rushing to embrace him, Ianthe showed him the ring she'd not taken off since they last met. He pulled out the handkerchief that she'd given him and smiled hugely, "I asked a nobleman who passed through the town who this belonged to, and he said he was headed to the house of that very man for a huge wedding ceremony. So I was able to travel with him!" "Who was the noble? Who was he visiting? I'm here for a wedding too, you know!" Ianthe said, all in one breath, excited, but not quite getting what this implied. William raised his hand, "The noble would be myself." "Ianthe, your father's house is where the noble was heading. There's going to be a wedding there, for his firstborn daughter." "Wait, you've been with William the entire time!? And how did you go all the way to where Alphonse lives?" she asked, taken aback. William nodded, "The house you visited is my winter home. We were resting there, though it was a little cramped for Alphonse." He shrugged. "You never asked if I was traveling alone. I was writing your adventures while traveling, because we had the same destination, so why not? I got cats to feed." Alphonse took Ianthe by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, "You don't understand. Your father is said to be marrying off his firstborn daughter. Isn't that you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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