Jelna

Jelna Sarik
Status:	Alive
Guild:	Cleric
Race:	Human
Gender:	Female
Location:	Riverhaven (Ranik Map 30)
Type:	guild leader
Tasks:	delivery

"While we have perhaps one of the most difficult paths of all, ours is the most rewarding," Jelna Sarik says quietly. "In our hands lies the power of the gods and the trust of the souls of the fallen. While the power to restore life is hard won, it is not the only reward on our path. We alone can commune with our gods, and we alone gain the benefit of their blessing."

Jelna Sarik adds gently, "Superficial gains are just that. You must decide whether you wish to achieve the quiet beauty of inner peace, the triumph in returning life to those who have fallen, and the joy in turning back what undead may plague our lands."

Description

Jelna the Guild Leader is an elderly woman dressed in simple brown robes bound at the waist by a length of black silken rope. Her short curly hair clings to her scalp in silver ringlets surrounding a wizened smiling face. She carries a cane clenched in one frail hand, and in the other a strand of prayer beads which she slowly turns as she speaks. Despite her obvious age, she stands straight and strong , and behind her eyes lurks a barely contained fire for life that shines like the sun after a storm.

Appearance

You see Guild Leader Jelna Sarik, a Human Cleric.
She has blue eyes and curly ringlets of silver hair.
She is elderly for a human.

She is holding a handcrafted oak cane with a sculptured handle in her left hand.
She is wearing a shimmering strand of opal prayer beads, some sturdy leather walking shoes, a soft brown wool shawl and a simple brown robe bound at the waist with a black silken rope.

Conversation Topics

• ALTAR: The leader Jelna Sarik looks at you and smiles. Jelna Sarik falls silent, head bowed.

• TEMPLE: Jelna Sarik smiles warmly, "Riverhaven's temple is set in a beautiful garden area with shrines devoted to many of our gods. It is something the city is proud of, and though it saw some attack during the Gorbesh War, our citizens defended it well."

• CEMETERY: Jelna Sarik replies, "At present our places for the dead are undisturbed by the undead who seek to claim the buried remains to their alliance."

• DEVOTION: Jelna Sarik's face becomes alight with ardor for her vocation as he begins to explain, "The term Devotion as we call it among our order is a personal measure of how dedicated you are to your gods and, in kind, how favorably They regard you. It is essentially what allows us to be the primary conduit between the gods and the mortals. Learn the myriad sacred rituals and weave them into your very life, <cleric>.

A Cleric who is pure of spirit has the ability to invoke the power and wisdom of the gods through Devotion, but as Clerics are mere mortals, all power must be absorbed and channeled through us. Being that we ourselves are imperfect, much of the divinity is repelled and lost before the Cleric can even use it. Never forget the simple fact that mortals are mortals, and gods are gods.

On the other hand, if you engage in practices which the gods themselves have forbidden -- such as graverobbing, necromancy or otherwise aiding the undead --, you will find the divine deaf to your pleas, and even your own magic will wilt without the lifeblood that is faith. To be rid of this profane state and become ritually Clean once again, a Cleric must employ the more dedicated rituals."

• NECROMANCY: Jelna Sarik's face grows dour, eyes flickering with indignation. "All, all Immortals despise that foul magic, <cleric>, even the darkest. Its products -- the undead -- are mockeries of the divine's creations and corrupt the cycle of Life and Death. Necromantic taint festers deep in the soul, which brings utter spiritual ruination sooner or later. As a holy servant of the gods, you must be especially careful to remain pure in the face of such evil, lest you become unclean and unworthy in Their eyes."

• NECROPOLIS: Jelna Sarik looks at you and says, "That is something best answered on Aesry Surlaenis'a, <cleric>."

• GODS: The leader Jelna Sarik smiles, her eyes lighting up.

"Many are the gods of our land. There is Kertigen, patron of the crafter's trade. There is Hodierna, the great goddess of life, who smiles upon us all. There is Meraud, god of magic and foresight and the dark side of the arcane arts. There is Damaris, who is the quiet god of assassins, thieves, dreams, and the night. There is Everild, whose smile brings victory to many a warrior. Truffenyi, the god of forgiveness, blesses us with the power of resurrection. Hav'roth serves the earth, his soul, it is said, dwells within all rocks and stones. Eluned is the Lady of the seas and wisdom, and a master of arcane arts. Glythtide brings joy wherever he goes; his laughter brings spring. Tamsine is the lady of the hearth and brings peace to homes. Faenella brought song into the world of silence, and is a great patron of all arts, it is she who brought music to all peoples. Chadatru is the god of justice who also brings warmth with the sun every day. And...."

The priestess abruptly stops, then continues, saying, "Last of them and the one who is the hardest to serve is Urrem'tier, who is, quite literally, Death." She gazes past you, her eyes distant.

"All of us must go to Urrem'tier someday, even the Elves Fade into that genderless god's embrace. Death by that spirit's hand is, as ever, final, and it is Urrem'tier who will someday guide us down our last steps on the Starry Path."

• GRACE: The leader Jelna Sarik gazes into your eyes and then smiles. Upraising one finger, she touches your forehead and whispers, "The gods have indeed smiled upon you, <cleric>."

• WREN: Jelna pauses, "The wren? That's a symbol of Faenella, the goddess of music."

• FAVOR: "I speak of the favors that a cleric gains to use in communing, <cleric>," the leader says, "not the type you earn to preserve your soul from the ravages of death."

The leader Jelna gazes into your eyes and then smiles. Upraising one finger, she touches your forehead and whispers, "The gods have indeed smiled upon you, <cleric>."