I'm not even gonna post an intro for this one
[Ulf'Hara Keep, Library]
Deep blue carpet covers the floor of this expansive room and heavy drapes of a darker royal blue hang on either side of the tall window. Book shelves of dark walnut line the walls from floor to ceiling. A single claw-foot chair sits facing the window, with a low table resting nearby. A simple oil lamp provides light for reading.
Also here: Prince Vorclaf who is imbued with a powerful luminescence, Arilana.
Obvious exits: north, out.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Szrael's face.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Seine's face.
Arilana says, "Thank you."
Arilana says, "This is much better."
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Sebastienne's face.
Vorclaf gazes upward.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Tyler's face.
Vorclaf says, "THis is nothing resembling 'better'."
Arilana asks, "Well, what did you expect?"
Vorclaf says, "I expected you to stay. I expected your Father to see to that. I expected Zukir to see to that."
Arilana says, "Then mayhaps you don't know me as well as I thought."
Arilana says, "The children are safe."
Vorclaf grabs the side of his head with a grimace.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Branwen's face.
Vorclaf gazes off into the distance.
Arilana says, "And I am by your side.."
Arilana asks, "Again?"
Arilana asks, "What is it?"
Vorclaf says, "You do not understand..."
Vorclaf gazes at Arilana.
Arilana says, "Please, Vorclaf, tell me what it is, I'll understand."
Vorclaf says, "He would have SHOWN me when it was safe. Just as He has shown me what I must do."
Vorclaf says to Arilana, "Of all times to show up..."
Vorclaf sighs.
Arilana asks, "Why does he control you and us? What has happened to you?"
Arilana's eyes suddenly flash with a white light!
Vorclaf says, "He doesn't control me, or us. He guides. He GUIDES."
Vorclaf gazes at Arilana.
Arilana says, "He controls, for you to speak to me this way."
Vorclaf paces back and forth.
Vorclaf stops and stares at Arilana.
Vorclaf says to Arilana, "I move on her very soon. I feel it."
Arilana asks, "On who?"
Vorclaf says, "Lyras. He has shown me her warcamp."
Arilana says, "No."
Arilana shakes her head.
Arilana says, "No."
Vorclaf gazes at Arilana.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Mithyl's face.
Vorclaf softly says, "Yes."
You get an odd feeling that someone is watching you. It quickly passes.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Cyiarriah's face.
Arilana asks, "What does he guide that you feel it must be you?"
Vorclaf says, "It is what He has decided. What he has shown me."
Vorclaf says, "The steps have been taken."
Arilana exclaims, "Well, untake them!"
Arilana asks, "'You have a wife and children, what about the love you profess? Does that not mean anything in this bond you suddenly have with him?"
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Wierdwood's face.
Vorclaf holds his head in both hands, a grimace crossing his face as the features of the wolf become more prominent.
Vorclaf bellows, "It means everything! It is WHY I follow Him!
Vorclaf paces back and forth.
Arilana gasps and steps back, her hands raised to her throat.
Arilana says, "WHat is happening to you? To us."
Vorclaf gazes at Arilana.
Vorclaf says, "We are surviving."
Vorclaf says, "Zoluren is surviving. We will not let them fall to the Devourer."
Arilana says, "They tell me in my head you have to do this."
Vorclaf says, "If I did not, do you think I would? I have any number that would gladly go in my place."
Vorclaf motions to the window nearby.
Vorclaf says, "Look at them. They wait below even now."
Vorclaf says, "You, you of all people should know."
Vorclaf asks Arilana, "If it were your people, would I be able to stop you?"
Arilana says, "I know, but I also know we have gone through so much and you send me away from you when you need me most."
Vorclaf just touched Arilana.
Arilana says, "Zoluren is not yours alone to protect and fight for."
Arilana says, "These are my people now."
Vorclaf smiles slightly.
Vorclaf softly says, "Exactly."
Arilana straightens slightly and smoothes her gown.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Paschein's face.
Arilana asks, "Do you go soon, my Prince?"
Vorclaf says, "By morning, I will depart."
Arilana asks, "And you will return to me?"
Vorclaf says, "As soon as her head has met the sole of my boot."
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Ignifera's face.
Arilana says, "Then go and prepare. And come back as soon as that is accomplished."
[Ulf'Hara Keep, Library]
Deep blue carpet covers the floor of this expansive room and heavy drapes of a darker royal blue hang on either side of the tall window. Book shelves of dark walnut line the walls from floor to ceiling. A single claw-foot chair sits facing the window, with a low table resting nearby. A simple oil lamp provides light for reading.
Also here: Prince Vorclaf who is imbued with a powerful luminescence, Arilana.
Obvious exits: north, out.
The brilliant blue Dalterein diamond in Arilana's diadem flickers in a riotous whorl of colors. Streaks of pink, red, azure, orange, and white continually fight for center stage.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Sebastienne's face.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Szrael's face.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Issus's face.
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Cyiarriah's face.
Arilana asks, "What do you mean too soon?"
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Seine's face.
Vorclaf asks, "Hmm?"
A shimmering mirror of shadows appears momentarily in the air above, briefly revealing Tyler's face.
Arilana says, "You just said, returned too soon."
Arilana asks, "What did you mean?"
Vorclaf raises an eyebrow.
Vorclaf says, "Earlier, yes. I mentioned that you had returned before you should have."
Vorclaf frowns.
Arilana says, "No, no. You just said it."
Vorclaf says, "Ah, I see."
Arilana asks, "See what?"
Vorclaf says, "It is indeed too soon. I've a bit of time. Sit with me. Perhaps He can show you what He has shown me."
Vorclaf gives a slight nod.
Arilana nods to Vorclaf.
Arilana says, "I will, through the night if need be."
Arilana takes her rightful place beside Vorclaf.
Prince Vorclaf's group just went out.
Later moonies got:
Buzzing sound, somewhere between a pipe organ and a seizure, erupts within your head. Your sight fades to red as the sound reaches an agonizing climax, then resolves into a distant scene.
Rain comes down in a heavy downpour upon a forest track. The Undead march down the winding trail in a tight column, heads locked forward in an unintended parody of a military parade. An elderly Human man sits on a large rock and under the canopy of a tree a scant few feet off the road, a garden hoe propped unceremoniously against the tree. He watches the undead pass by with a bemused expression.
Roisaen seem to pass uneventfully, until a middle-aged woman appears within the column. She spots the man and comes to a sudden stop, causing a confused jostling to ripple up the line.
Lyras says, "You."
The Old Man shrugs and replies, "Me."
"What are you?"
"I'm a farmer. I grow things."
"Why are you here?"
"Trying to stay out of the storm, miss."
"Bow."
"If I did that, I wouldn't be able to get back up again." A pause. "Joints, you understand."
The Old Man says, "Always interesting to see travelers. Not many people walk down this road."
Lyras asks, "There are others?"
"Someone had to blaze the trail we're on. Not very often you see a real human being on it, though. Mostly used by animals these days."
"Enough! You will tell me why you are spying on me or I will wring it from your corpse!"
The Old Man lets out an exaggerated breath. "The metaphors not doing it for you? Ya know, between you and me, I'm not really sure why I'm out here. But I have a good guess."
Lyras stares mutely at the Old Man until he continues, "Everybody gets one, even you."
The Old Man says, "You could've made it, you know. That Descent of yours was a little weird, but you managed to hold onto enough. You could've had eternal life if you wanted something so modest. But that was all a little too abstract for miss Lyras. You wanted to hurt people. You wanted them to scream for every slight, and a corpse for every bruise.
"Now, I'm not one to judge. Bloody revenge is a perfectly Human behavior, we even got gods for that sort of thing. Just," he waves his left arm vaguely through the air, sweeping over the entire visible column of undead, "Maybe things have gotten a tiny bit out of hand?
"Okay, sure, third incarnation of a demon hell-bent on cracking the plane open like a walnut. That's bad, but there's still a bit of you left in there. Enough, anyway, that you still have some choice in the matter. This doesn't need to end this way, if you don't want it to."
ff
Lyras says, spitting out the word, "Redemption."
The Old Man grabs hold of his hoe and carefully tosses it toward Lyras, where it lands in the mud at her feet. He says, "No, redemption isn't in the cards. You aren't walking out of this with anything resembling a soul. But a soul isn't everything, and there's other states of being to explore, if you want to."
Lyras gazes down at the hoe, her flat affect betraying none of her thoughts. She bends down to grab it, weighs it in her hand... and then watches impassively as it blackens and turns to ash.
A violent howl echoes through the woods, perhaps the sound a wolf hears when he dreams of howling. Unbidden thoughts of violence, vengeance and the hunt ride across the primal howl, causing even the undead to quail. Lyras turns toward the east, leaving the Old Man at her back.
The Old Man says, "Pity, that was a good hoe. Ah well. No regrets, eh?"
Lyras turns back sharply, but the Old Man had already left.
The proto-wolf howls again, shaking the very earth Lyras stands on and causing your skull to buzz with sound and vibration. The visionary experience fades along with the sound, leaving you with a deep headache.
Rev. Reene
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