The First Land Herald/450-04-06
| Article Number: 106 |
| Dateline: 450-04-06 |
| MEETING OF THE MESSENGERS & A MESSAGE FROM THE HERALDS Two meetings occurred days apart, both focused on listening rather than talking for the adventurers present. First, Aaiyaah hosted a gathering at Arhats tower, one in which all visitors to our lands were invited and he'd hoped they'd accept. Only one of the five showed up, Unaka, as she has supported many gatherings of adventurers all while caring for the plight of villagers and commoners of the realms. Typically waiting patiently for her turn, she uncharacteristically asked if she could speak first this time if we didn't mind. Unaka said, "I have something you might all want to hear first. So, I went to Truffenyi, and I had another kinda vision. The kind where it's like a thousand at once and I feel sick after." Collective frowns followed after hearing she was not feeling well. She continued, "It's hard to describe in a way that makes any kinda sense. But I'll try. I think it's sorta like having a dream. Sometimes you see lots of images and things happen and when you wake up you have a feeling like -- oh, I know what that was. I know what happened. Even though at the time it was all jumbled." Unaka said, "Anyway, I was thinking and praying about that Asildu guy, and whether he was the one who destroyed the Clans." Unaka's mouth tightens slightly, and her hand unconsciously touches her weapon harness. "I think the message I got from Truffenyi was that we need to keep looking. We need to find the real enemy, so we can strike. If we attack Asildu right now, might be the only thing we get is more destroyed towns, and he's not even the one really doing it. You understand?" Unaka concluded, "Anyway, that's what I think Truffenyi was saying." Tirost asked if she knew what was really doing it, and she said we still have to figure that out. Aaiyaah said to Unaka, "I do not mean to speak for anyone but myself, but I will tell you that you have my complete support and will fight alongside you when the time is right." She thanked Aaiyaah and replied, "There may come a time when we have to fight. I don't know. But I intend to fight for the people, in the name of Truffenyi, if it comes to that." Gwenddolyn stepped up to enlighten folks on some of her own theories, and Saragos announced his upcoming experiments which prompted Unaka to chime in again, "Oh I've got something to add about magical research. So, uh, I asked that Valenal guy if he would meet with me to try to teach me some of the magic theory about what's going on. I figure if Truffenyi wants me to learn more, I should try. We are gonna do that at the Asemath Academy in a couple andu." Unaka said, "I learned after that he's, uh, sometimes taken over by elemental things. I didn't know that. But I hope that he can teach me a thing or two. I want to hear what he thinks about all this wild magic stuff." Unaka further explained, "And I know sorcery already. Anyway you are all welcome to come. I don't know if I can trust the guy but I wanted to start somewhere." Before anyone else spoke she raised her hand again, Aaiyaah asked, "Did you have something else?" Unaka replied , "Oh yeah. I think it's a good idea to learn more about history. Do any of you know people who really study that kind of thing? History of the Immortals or the Heralds." Pensive and thoughtful, no one had an answer to that question at the time, yet this is not the first time she has asked if we have a history expert among our numbers. Aaiyaah inquired of Unaka, "I am unsure if this has been covered before, but has any of your visions given you any feeling, instinct or otherwise, about our friends being held?" Unaka knit her eyebrows together in a thoughtful frown and responded, "I'm thinking real hard, but I don't remember anything about them. Sorry." She politely offered to answer any more questions we had for her before she took her leave, however it appeared many were too deep in their own thoughts on the meaning of all of this. Unaka took off to rest and that meeting wrapped shortly afterwards. Next, the Messengers of the Heralds would arrive together at Gaethrend's Court. Miraena asked the Bards to leave sanctuary up so they would have a chance to speak in peace, since they'd been commonly referred to as heretics and felt threatened. Before the presentation began, Eyst asked about how their keratosis was doing. Miraena confessed that they haven't seen any changes in it though they both still find it fascinating. She then stood near Asildu and gestured for him to begin. He gave a speech at length that I was able to capture in full: "Young Miraena has asked me to join her here this evening in hopes that a more... in depth presentation... might help in painting a clearer picture of the message we bring - and why. Many of you have heard what we've had to say, and we, perhaps mistakenly, believed our words would be enough. But, we see, now, that the words we speak are somewhat foreign, compared to what adventurers have grown accustomed to hearing these days. The years I spent away from society made me blind to that, assuming that everyone was in possession of the same knowledge as myself, because I have been my only company for years and, since I know what I know, my conversations with myself have always been... well... identical in knowledge base. Our message, I think everyone has heard loud and clear, whether you agree or not. Cease the use of sorcery. Fix the imbalance by undoing what years of rampant sorcery use have caused. This is the command of the Heralds. And while I know you all despise being commanded, I can't call it anything else. It's not a request. It's a necessity. The world is on the brink of destruction. The Heralds don't care about the egos and pride of adventurers. They care about protecting their garden. There were some visions some of you received when I joined you in your... beseeching of Elanthia to reveal. Images of a primal Elanthia. I didn't see them, but I didn't need to. I know of the Heralds. But those visions... those were for you. Visions so you could SEE just what the Heralds have wanted for this world from the start. Balance. Perfection. Purity. Everyone and everything working in harmony, as intended. I originally planned to mince my words tonight for the sake of your delicate sensibilities, but as I've already been declared a heretic and forsaken by your Immortals, I'm just going to speak the blunt truth. The truth your Immortals don't want you to hear." Maintaining the balance and perfection of this world is not an easy job. It requires the cooperation of everyone. And, in this case, that included your Immortals. Their job was to tend to you. To us. The mortals. They were supposed to make sure that we did our part in fostering the vision of a world in which everything exists in a sublime state of equilibrium. But the Immortals grew lazy. Too lax in their duties, leaving the mortals to do as they pleased. The mortals, with their natural predilection for arrogance and greed. Their instinctive desire for more and more power. Without proper oversight, the mortals got out of hand, building on their magical studies and twisting the mana in ways it was never intended to be twisted until they were wielding spells of infinite destruction that no mortal should ever have the power to wield. When this happened, the Heralds stepped in, on occasion, to set the mortals to rights. They weren't pleased, to say the least. We weren't supposed to be their job. But your Immortals were shirking their duties and someone had to do it. Someone had to remind the mortals that what they were doing went against the balance. That their abuse of the gift of magic was a threat to the preservation of this world. They didn't always have time to step in, but they did when they could. When it was absolutely necessary and apparent your Immortals would not. Over time, it became apparent that the failure of your Immortals to perform their duties wasn't just a matter of laziness, but their own hubris. Their own flaws, similar to those of mortals, wherein they began to despise the Heralds for their power. Your Immortals hated being weak in comparison. They hated taking orders. They wanted to be the ones in charge. They knew that destroying the balance would hurt the Heralds and they WANTED that. So they let the mortals do as they wished. It didn't matter to your Immortals if the world was destroyed, along with all of us in it. They could simply create a new world in which they would be the ultimate power, with new mortals and new playthings they could toy with at their leisure while the Heralds would be left here with nothing but the withering and decaying remains of what was left of their garden. Betrayal of the highest degree. I know this isn't what any of you want to hear. You've spent your lives revering the Immortals because they were assigned to be our caretakers. You don't know the Heralds because THEY are the caretakers of everything else in this world. The Heralds are the ones responsible for making sure this world remains in existence, even if everything on it goes up in flames for the foolishness and arrogance of adventurers. That's not to say the Heralds WANT to see us all destroyed. If they did, they wouldn't have taken the time to step in the times that they did when your Immortals were shirking their duties. It is why they seek to give us time to change our ways now, but the fate of the world is more important to them than the fate of us. I f we don't listen - if YOU ALL continue to do the things you do that threaten the existence of this world - the Heralds will have no choice but to eradicate that which refuses to work in harmony to regain balance. What you all view as the Heralds destroying...They don't destroy. They repair. They repair the world. And if mortals would just listen... there is still time for us to make the changes necessary to prevent the Heralds from having to take such drastic measures to succeed." It won't be an easy fix or a quick fix. Too much damage has been caused for it to be that simple. But the more pure mana we can feed into this world, the faster it will heal. Instead of throwing sorcery parties, have you considered throwing pure mana casting parties? You want an action - there's an action. Stop sorcery to halt the damage. Cast pure to fix it. I don't know how much clearer I can be with that." Throughout his talking, myself and several others noticed odd exchanges and behaviors from Miraena and Asildu. His words did not evoke much comfort from those around him, but what happened in the silent moments was almost more concerning. For example, Asildu would tremble slightly as he drew in a breath, the air around him was momentarily charged with a gentle thrum of energy that slowly dispersed upon his exhale. He had moments of looking unsettled, uncertain, often glancing at MIraena for reassurance. Again, a subtle thrum of energy began to gather around Asildu, it pulsed once... twice... three times in succession before it dispersed once again into the nothingness from whence it came. Miraena continued to encourage him, awkwardly at best. She reminded us she's just a farmer and blushed. Miraena would nod at what Asildu was saying while gazing at the floor, distracted, unsure. She shifted her weight and made faces that indicated a lack of confidence or difficulty in what she was hearing. She sighed when Asildu said he would be blunt, and later attempted to impassion his speech with simple farm-related analogies, glanced down at her arms, as if realizing her dramatic gesticulations. Miraena blushed again, pulled her arms back into her sides and stepped backwards. With a nod to Asildu she went quiet again. When we thought he was finished, the room became noisy with questions again. At the mention of the meteors and encasements cutting us off from the Clans west of Crossing, Asildu answered. Asildu said, "The spires...I can explain. Maybe not an explanation that will make any of you understand or forgive, but an explanation, nonetheless." This topic caused a painful look to spread across Miraena's features, though whether it was for us or them would be anyone's guess. Asildu reflected, "As many of you know, I suffered... effects... from my connection to the Heralds during your... sorcery party. In the past, I've felt them, sensed them, but never to the degree I felt them that night. Many of you have heard that the Heralds aren't like us, but what you have to understand is that this extends to their means of communication, too." Asildu explained, "One doesn't just converse with the Heralds. Their voices are so powerful, they could... melt one's mind if they spoke like we do. Well... their emotions are rather the same. That night... their rage... it was so strong, so all-consuming, it nearly ended me with the force of it. For days, I found myself almost possessed by the strength of it, overwhelming my senses to a point where I could think of nothing but their anger. Their outrage." Asildu said, "When I tried to express my thoughts to adventurers about the seeming fate of Knife Clan, I wasn't in control of myself. My frustration was further fueled by the rage of the Heralds, and the constant resistance I have come up against since I first came to bring their message. Everyone wanting me to talk to the Heralds. To send them messages. I have been clear from the start that my connection doesn't work that way, yet you all press and press..." Miraena reached towards Asildu and rested her hand lightly on his arm. She looked into his face and offered him a tender smile. She gingerly tried to calm Asildu, "It was not your fault. This is such a big task placed on our shoulders. We are learning so much, just as they are." He took a deep breath at her touch and words before he continued, "I didn't expect the Heralds to respond. But the fact that they did is... telling. I don't know what happened, exactly, but I know they remain angry. I know they are displeased by the arrogance of the adventurers who would dare challenge their power, their intelligence, and their ability to fix this imbalance. I can only hypothesize that maybe the influx in power I felt through my connection to them also somehow increased my visibility to them." Asildu said, "What I do know is that they were still angry. They ARE angry. They want you all to see the lengths that they will have to go to in order to fix this imbalance, to restore the harmony of this world if mortals refuse to mend their sorcerous ways." Asildu finished with, "Since that night, I have learned much. That your Immortals are so afraid of you learning the truth, they have forsaken me for telling it. But the Heralds believe. They believe that it is not too late for Miraena and myself to save you all. For that, they have accepted me. They have embraced me. And it is for that reason we are here now, in hopes that we can somehow help you all. If you will let us." That is what we heard Asildu say, but what we saw while he was speaking still provoked some degree of skepticism. A faint, peculiar outline appeared briefly over Asildu's skin, highlighting the hardened, squamiform layer of subdermal keratinized flesh beneath the surface. It lingered for barely a breath before it receded again, and though I was sure it was there, I could not recall what it looked like afterwards. Before the group broke, Asildu repeated his suggestion for concentrating pure mana in one place. Awaiting the outcome of that attempt, Shaylynne Kendialahle |
| Real Date: Unknown Date |
| Subject(s): Wild Magic |
| Author(s): Shaylynne |