Tales of Faerun

[GrueMaster]

Tak'we clicked rapidly in anger as the lich rose from its resting place. *nraktcktcktkc!* His anger grew as Moira justified her hatchling's actions and refused to tell Rhaine where Ravenna was, subtly insulting her in the process. "Your hatchling isss a disssgrace, defiler! Her crimesss against nature would have had her desstroyed by her own clutch if sshe wasss Thri'kreen!" The thri'kreen shrugged off his cloak and ripped off the sling on his upper right, even though it hadn't fully healed yet: he was too furious to care anyway. He brought himself to his full height and brandished his gythka. "Now tell usss where your abomination isss," Tak'we hissed, " before thisss one tearsss apart boness that walk!"

[tokyobiohazard]

William patted at his robe for a moment, before pulling out a folded piece of parchment and opening it up. He held it up and squinted. "What kind of newfangled map is this? Why, I don't think I can even find us on it!"

 

Arva leaned over so that he could reach someone so low, and flipped the map the other way round. "It's upside down, Willy."

 

"Ah, so it is!" William poked a bony finger at the nearest shrine, and exclaimed, "Why it can't be far at all! See?"

 

He held the map so that everyone could see it, his finger still resting on the dot which represented the nearest shrine.

[AurianaValoria1]

The Doomguide rushed over to William's side, peering at the map. Indeed, there was a small replica of Sune's symbol signifying her shrine.

 

"The River Rauvin...near Everlund," Rhaine breathed. She straightened, her expression fierce as she returned her gaze to Miora, "Now...that just leaves the matter of you."

[mythicdawnmaster]

Miora had already begun to float back towards her casket as the group figured out Ravenna's location. Her daughters fate was hers alone, Miora was simply a devoted mother, in helping Ravenna. "My quarrel is not with you;It is not with any. My purpose is complete, Doomguide, i wish only rest now. Perhaps you could aid me to transpire to the next life? I was not a bad woman, no innocents died by my hand, no crimes committed. I dabbled in Necromancy, but who in Thay hadn't? It is like swimming if you are an aquatic elf, it is simply 'Just done'. My artifacts are either scattered and destroyed,and what comes of them is my worry no longer. Perhaps i do not desirve a peaceful afterlife, for helping my daughter in this plot. But no matter her crimes, she is still, my sweet daughter." Miora pitied not herself, her voice carrying no sorrow, for herself or otherwise: What happened to her now was not hers to decide: If she must fight and kill the group of heroes, she would do it, if she were allowed a peaceful end to travel to the next world, she would accept it. Her way f passing was in the hands of the Doomguide and her party.

 

Xallistine looked at the lich in amazement: This was the creator of such powerful items... oh what he could have learnt from her. But now, ravenna was all that mattered.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine was a bit taken aback by the lich's request...in every case she had seen before, the reasons one became a lich were for endless power and endless life. It was a treasure none gave up lightly. But now Miora was ready to face the afterlife...not only ready, but wanted it?

 

The Doomguide was honor-bound to end Miora's existence as a lich...and she could also never ignore a plea for peace. Rhaine sighed and nodded, "I can offer you the rest you seek, Miora, if that is what you truly desire. It will be...more difficult, for one of your condition. But I can make it happen."

[GrueMaster]

The thri'kreen backed away in puzzlement from the lich as it asked Rhaine for peace, who, surprising him further, nodded in response. Still simmering but not about to explode out of anger, Tak'we glanced back and forth between the priestess and Miora, confused. I do not understand this, he thought. One moment, the two seemed about to fight, then suddenly the bones that walked was asking Rhaine for peace. He, unfamiliar with softskin clerics, simply shook his head at the unusual scene, gathering up his cloak and sling as he turned away. *tcktck!* he clicked in frustration, realizing that he'd torn off the sling in his small fit of rage, destroying it. He hissed what sounded like a sigh and dropped the ruined bandages, walking over to where Echo, Mahira. and Nawen were standing in the group as he threw his cloak back on. "Thisss one doesss not underssstand," he whispered to no one in particular, leaning on his gythka, looking on what appeared to him as Rhaine and Miora being seemingly at peace with one another suddenly. Softskins are so confusing.

[mythicdawnmaster]

A smile graced the lips of the Lich's decomposed face, and a dead sigh of relief escaped her ancient lips... it could all finally end. "Thank you, thank you so... I don't know if you are able to understand how much this means to me, but thank you. Becoming this affront to nature was not something i relished: But i had no choice in the matter; My Eye was not to fall into the hands of just any adventurer, it had to be one of my blood... despite Ravenna's monstrous means, her end is one of good... She hopes to allow a brighter future, free of all godly constraints, and holy wars. I am not one to judge, perhaps the world is better with gods in control? Time will tell. But my time trapped in this body is over, and you have my thanks. I cannot give you my blessing on this path you tread, for i know that either you or my daughter must fall, but what happens is fate. If you succeed, then may Ravenna find peace at last, and if you fail, may we meet again in the next life." Miora bowed her head, as her grey, skeletal fingers moved to her face, the sunk behind her solid mask of gold, and slowly pulled it off. Her face was not too rotten, her cheeks were still intact, as were her eyes, and parts of her nose; Enough to resemble her portrait, if only slightly. Her arms extended as she held out her mask. "I cannot offer you anything, but please, take my mask. Show it to Ravenna, she will know what it means, perhaps with it, a peaceful end can come about?" A final smile was formed upon her lips, as the lich drew back to her casket, the glass vanished, and she lay back, her arms on her chest. "For this gift, i cannot thank you enough: May Kelemvor see me worthy of an afterlife far from hell... And than you... Whatever happens now, i can rest knowing my daughter's fate is eminent." The lich shut her eyes, and her magical defences dropped, all she needed was her path to Judgement.

 

Xallistine's eyes widened at the encounter "Never in all my years would i have perceived Miora to be... well to be like this... Ravenna must have been wronged to turn to such evil." he said quietly, ready to leave once Rhaine had given Miora her final rites.

 

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

 

Ravenna waited patiently for Sune to appear, it would not be long now. Such defiling of her holy temple would be noticed, and The Goddess would intervene. "SUNE!!" Ravenna screamed. "HEAR ME!" She shouted, eyes wide and face contorted in rage, her mouth open to it's limits.

 

After a few moments pause did the Goddess appear, in a glorious nimbus of crackling golden energy, the room filling itself with the scent of flowers, of love.

The great Ruby cascades of Sune's hair flowed like a waterfall down the almost transparent gown the beautiful god had wrapped around her fine, voluptuous body, her glowing emerald eyes fixed upon the grinning, demented visage of Ravenna, who's eyes locked with the Goddesses.

 

"So you have come... I have waited centuries to end you, you ungrateful imbecile! I spent my LIFE as a servant to you! And all i asked was one request... ONE REQUEST!" Ravenna bellowed, much to the surprise of Sune, who's furrowed brow turned to one of anger.

 

She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off as an excruciating pain filled her very essence.

 

Miora's eye had opened like a flower in bloom, it's many metal petals opened out in beautiful layers, the centre of the Amulet revealed. It was a centrepiece of many thousands of priceless gems, arranged to focus the beam of the eye into one stable ray, which hummed intensely, it's deep green light illuminating the white hall of Sune's chapel, and piercing her godly matter.

The beam surged around her body, bringing her to ground level, and forcing her to submission. Ravenna circled Sune as a vulture would a dying animal, waiting for it's time to feast

Edited January 9, 2013 by mythicdawnmaster

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine took the lich's golden mask, then sheathed her blade and readied herself. She had never used this particular power before, and Kelemvor had warned her that it would be taxing...yet it seemed like the right thing to do. She approached Miora's coffin and began reciting the Passing, offering her all the blessings and words of comfort that any other mortal would have received. Then, at last, she placed her hands on the lich's shoulders and called upon her power as Chosen.

 

At her touch, a rush of power unlike anything she had ever experienced flowed from Rhaine and into Miora, permeating the lich's very essence and destroying any and all connection with the undead. The holy light was almost blinding as it cleansed the taint from the lich...

 

...until she was nothing more than a skeleton, the flesh and clothing burned away.

 

For a moment, Rhaine felt faint. She dropped to one knee and held her head as the room spun. She knew she could not let herself faint, however, and she forced herself back to her feet, swaying a little as she did so.

 

"Let's go. We may already be too late."

 

With that, the Doomguide ran back through the halls, weaving her way towards the entrance. When at last they returned to the outside world, Rhaine mounted her horse and took one final look at the fortress.

 

May nature claim it, so that something good may come of a place that spawned so much evil.

 

Then, turning her steed's head to the north, she plunged into the woods...heading towards the River Rauvin.

[GrueMaster]

Tak'we watched in awe as he saw Rhaine cleansed the bones that walked, staring into the holy light. The thri'kreen had heard tales of undead creatures as monsters that upset the natural balance in the world when he was growing up among his people. But this! The elders of his clan had never spoken of such things! "Does Mother Moon herself grace you?" he thought out loud, reciting the main spirit his people worshipped. Then he saw Rhaine stagger some after the cleansing, but before he had a chance to go help her, the winged pointy-ear had taken off back outside, keen that they hurry after Ravenna. *tcktck!* "RHAINE!" he began to call out as he turned to go after her, but he tripped on his cloak as he did so and landed hard on his wounded leg. *Chat-tck!* he cursed in thri'kreen as he clutched at his leg: he hadn't bothered to check that the cloak was straight.

 

Clicking angrily, Tak'we forced himself off of the ground and limped hurriedly after Rhaine, hissing as he went. As he left the ruins, he looked back at the ancient place, the shadow on it earlier seeming to have been cleansed along with the lich by the priestess' efforts. "May Mother Moon reclaim thisss place," the thri'kreen quickly prayed, then followed after the winged pointy-ear.

Edited January 10, 2013 by GrueMaster

[Naktis]

Nawen noticed that for a moment it looked like Rhaine was going to faint but instead she stood back up again and ran outside. For one last time she glanced at the room before following the others outside. River Rauvin was north of the ruins and just outside of the forest in since they're in a hurry there will be no time for rest. She was used to traveling, she did exactly that all of her life but she was worried about her friends. She wasn't sure if their wounds had fully healed after the battle with the banshee and Ravenna and their former companions were very powerful and very dangerous opponents...

 

 

Aedan had to cover his eyes from the blinding light. Why do the deities always has to put some kind of show whenever they show themselves. He hoped that Ravenna will finish this quickly so they could leave this blasted temple. Aedan avoided the temples - who knows what would happen to him if by accident he went to the temple of the deity he served in his past life?