Tales of Faerun

[BaldurAnthology]

Saerileth broke away from the man she had danced with, and found herself pulled into the arms of an older man missing one hand. His eyes burned violet, and he wore a gold mask with black finery. Inside her head, a voice rumbles, Saerileth, my chosen. Why have you forsaken me? I send you here to learn of the prime, and destroy the undead menace, not to mention make you my chosen. yet how do you repay me? You abuse alcohol, becoming drunk. You kiss a man who is betrothed to another. You do not destroy evil and work alongside it instead. I would have lent you strength and protection to take down that fallen! Not to mention the half-demon. Yet you ignore them. You have let me down, Saerileth. These are but a few of your defiances of my will. All would be forgiven, had you prayed every night as you used to. It is clear you no longer desire the power and responsibility of becoming my proxy. You are no longer my Chosen. Live your life in peace. Tyr let go of Saerileth and walked off into the crowd. Saerileth just stood there, feeling slightly empty as the power and life lengthening of her chosen status left her, and she walked, in a daze, tripping occasionally. She passed Rhaine and found a seat. She sat down, staring at nothing in particular, shaking and miserable.

 

Caladus watched Saerileth go off looking terrible, and whispered to Shaori,

 

"I'm going to go check on her. Enjoy yourself." He made his way through the crowd, tapping Rhaine on the shoulder, gesturing for her to follow and walking towards where Saerileth sat. He put his arm around her comfortingly and she didn't even seem to register he was there.

 

Shaori found herself swept into the arms of another noble and swept back into the dance.

 

Byron got himself another glass of punch and watched the dancing.

 

Dugmaren had latched onto a noblewoman and was dancing. The woman seemed to be enjoying herself.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Aricia had spent her time arguing with a noble-woman she met a few years ago, in the time she had quested in the prime... the noble woman seemed to think herself better than Aricia, which the Eladrin was simply amused.

 

"Still wearing the same old Diamonds Aricia? You haven't changed a bit since we last met... what, can't find a decent jewelers?" She said, laughing through her pig like nose, her friends all snorting with her.

 

"Oh darling, you don't change a bit either do you? Sleeping with any man who wears a shirt of fine quality, and then finding out he is a stable hand who stole a shirt... And you forget, These diamonds cost more than your entire family's fortune... Bye now!" Aricia said, walking off, the woman's face now scarlet red, her friends all now laughing at her.

 

She made her way over to a rather somber looking Saerileth. "My daughter, what on earth is the matter? The chosen of Tyr in a masquerade ball should be happy!" She said with a smile, not knowing about her daughters taken favour by her god.

 

--------------------

 

Xallistine avoided most people, and stayed alone, listening to the voices of the nobles, trying to pin-point any members of the cult.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine saw Saerileth move past her, stumbling as she went. Caladus wanted the Doomguide to follow. Squeezing Nawen on the shoulder, she murmured, "Try to have a good time, but keep an ear open for any Cult activity."

 

With that, she followed the druid and paladin to where the latter sat, visibly trembling, her eyes distant. Her mother, too, stood nearby.

 

"Saerileth, are you all right? You look...weak..."

[Naktis]

Nawen noticed that Saerileth was looking quite sad. She wonder what had happened to her? Did someone hurt her? If so they're going to pay for that. She stayed where she was as it seemed that her presence wasn't needed there. She only hoped that whatever happened wasn't really bad.

 

The ranger sighed heavily as if getting ready for some very important task. She looked around once more and started mingling with the guest hoping to hear something useful.

[BaldurAnthology]

Saerileth barely registered Caladus's comforting arm, or her mother's query. She heard Rhaine, the only one who would understand her and looked her in the eye, her expression hollow and dead eyed. She faltered her speech twice before managing to mumble.

 

"Tyr... took my status away. I am empty, mortal. I am no longer.... Chosen of Tyr." Her face falls, she stares at the floor, unable to look anyone in the eye. She felt miserable, she was a failure. She felt she worthless.

 

Caladus heard the statement and his head reeled. What did she do that made her lose the status? Or was it a buildup? He heard Tyr was rather vengeful, and hot-headed. He wondered. Aloud, he said,

 

"Rhaine, Aricia. Take care of her. I have very little idea how to help here. I defer to your judgement." He stood, and pulled out his pipe, walking away clutching his cane rather tightly and heading towards the punchbowl, hoping he could ask for something stronger. He saw a strange older man wearing dark green velvet standing by the refreshments, sipping a glass of wine. Caladus ignored him for now and asked the servant at the refreshment table for a glass of whisky, or something strong. She nods, and hurries off. The old man nods and Caladus, and in his head he hears, A bit stronger than your normal, isn't it Caladus?

[mythicdawnmaster]

Aricia's eyes widened, and she felt as though she had been struck in the head "WHAT?!" She said aloud, a mix of extreme surprise, and anger "Saerileth how?! How can you loose your status? What the hell have you been doing?! I thought you were sticking to your path! Being pure! When the whole time you have been defying Tyr?!" She paused, her hand on her head, brushing back her hair "But my job wasn't to keep you on Tyr's path, as much as my gods would like to think it... i came to keep you safe... But what have you done Saerileth?" She said now in a soft, calmer tone. Edited August 10, 2012 by mythicdawnmaster

[AurianaValoria1]

By the gods, Rhaine thought. No wonder Saerileth was in such a state. The impact of such news hit the Doomguide like a ton of bricks, and she was not the one being directly affected. What had Saerileth done to offend Tyr so? Or, perhaps it was a matter of what she hadn't done...

 

"Saerileth," Rhaine bent to the paladin's level, wrapping her arms around her, "I am so sorry. I cannot imagine your pain, but I can sympathize. I will not ask the reason...it is not my affair. But if you need someone to talk to after all of this is said and done, I am here."

 

After embracing Saerileth fiercely, she walked away, lost in thought. She tried to imagine how she herself would feel if Kelemvor took away her own status...but she could not. She could not fathom the emptiness, the guilt...

 

The Doomguide looked around the lavish ballroom, where many of the guests had begun to dance their own routines as they waited on the official start. The polished marble floor was swept with at least two dozen skirts as they twirled and swayed...Dugmaren Brightmantle amongst them. Rhaine wondered why the god had made an appearance with Byron, but chalked it up to just being the deity's prerogative. She also wondered if any other gods would choose to attend, seeing as this was one of the holiest nights of the year...

[BaldurAnthology]

Caladus sipped some of the drink, feeling the liquid fire go down his throat. With his mind, he replied, How may I serve you today, Lord Rillifane? The older man looked amused, and sipped his wine. Rillifane nodded and smiled.

 

Congratulations, my follower! You have followed me faithfully for over 240 years now. I have come to a decision. You are to be my first ever Chosen. You know what this entails yes? Now, Normally it would grant you longer life. Since you're an elf, that wouldn't make much sense, would it? So, you will gain power rather than longevity. I grant you the most powerful of Nature's forms, the Dragon form. The type and abilities of the dragon will vary depending on the need. You may access this mighty form once per day. Your normal shapeshifting abilities, Brown Bear, Black Bear, Wolf, Ogre, Fire Salamander, and Wyvern are now available to you twice per day. HOWEVER, use of the Dragon Form will disable your normal shapeshifting abilities for the rest of the day. I also grant you the Eagle Vision ability, which enhances your normal sight, and during the day allows you to see from the eyes of an Eagle three times. This ability is unusable at night. Your ordinary abilities are enhanced, as is your control over plants and animals. Continue with all that you do for me, Chosen, and your status will remain. Fare thee Well, Caladus, Chosen of Rillifane. I want to get my dancing in too! Oy! DUGMAREN! Let me cut in! Rillifane went off and pried the dwarven god off a noblewoman, and took her off to dance. Dugmaren grabbed another woman out of the throng and danced with her instead.

 

Saerileth refused to acknowledge her mother. She stood up and made her way out of the palace, back to the inn. She changed out of her gown, and lay down on her bed in her underclothes, taking off the crown of Tyr on her head, no longer feeling worthy of such a symbol.

 

Caladus made his way through the crowd and gave Rhaine a hug when he saw her, muttering

 

"It seems you and I are two of a kind now. I don't want to be too boastful, considering what happened to Saerileth, but I have been made Chosen of Rillifane. Thought you'd like to know." He wandered away after Saerileth, figuring she should have someone keeping an eye on her. He walked down the road, his cane tapping on the ground, his pipe lit. His steps felt oddly lighter for some reason. He decided to try something. Crouching, he jumped, pushing off the ground with all his strength, and flew quite high into the air, before landing on his feet, although he stumbled a bit. He smiled at his new strength, and decided to test speed. He started to run, and cleared the way from the palace to the inn quickly enough to raise dust from the roads. He laughed at how he wasn't even out of breath. Entering the inn, he sits by the fire. Pointing his hand towards a dead flower, crumbles, and is replaced by a tiger lily, which grows and blooms while he watches it. He smiles, and goes to the upper floor, knocking on Saerileth's door.

 

"Saerileth? Are you in here? May I enter?" Saerileth called "Yes!" and he entered, almost immediately ducking out again as she was in her underclothes. She walked forward and dragged him into the room, really caring little about her modesty, as she sat down on the bed again, in her underclothes, and waited to see what he wished to discuss.

[Naktis]

Nawen walked around, mingling with the guest and hoping to eavesdrop something useful. So far, nothing. Everyone were talking how great the ball is and other boring and useless things like latest fashions and who wore what and who got a new husband or wife. "This is so boring!" She thought to herself taking a glass of some expensive drink an emptying it instantly. She hoped that others had a much better time.

 

Aedan kept watching people in the room. He could sense some very powerful beings nearby and it wasn't anyone from those adventurers he joined. No, the power was much stronger. The worst part is there wasn't only one source of such immense power.

[Alaylyne]

Sefris had kept herself away from the rest of the group, her eyes frantically searching for a figure in white. The sorceress had not noticed that her breath was quick and her face more red than normal, pupils narrowing to a completely thin line. She could see him every now and then, but he disappeared every time she was about to reach him. Was he even here in the first place, she wondered?

 

The man was like a ghost both in his appearance and abilities. A master of illusions, skin pale as snow, hair even more white and eyes with colorless irises. That was the man that haunted her every dream, torturing her until she started to throw things at an invisible foe that was never there.

 

The fey'ri was standing in the middle of the ballroom, spinning around in her search and not caring that she was obstructing people who were dancing. A white figure caught her attention, walking over to the opposite side of the room. Sefris raced to catch him, much to displeasure of the people who were in her way, but he disappeared again when Sefris was about to grab his room, making her bump into someone.

 

The sorceress slowly got back on her feet, looking at Aedan she had bumped into. "Where did he go? Did you see him?" she quickly asked the fallen, looking around. The white figure was nowhere to be seen, but Sefris' cheeks were still burning - she looked as she had a fever.