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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 6, 2012 19:26:36 GMT -5
Once more you reach a ledge, and flop over on your stomach, rolling gingerly over on your most recent bruises as they heal. The view from three hundred feet is breath taking. The valley sprawled out before you, split from north to south by the river, and from east to west by the main road. You can see the hills slowly turn to swamp land, and then into plains. Over the entire area, vast sections are covered in copses of trees, or full fledged forests. Even the massive waterfall in the north, source if the river that splits the valley in half is clearly visible.
The view is only spoiled by the trail of black smoke, billowing up from your home. Sadly shaking your head you look down. That's when you realize just how far up you are. Before the vertigo can set in you notice something else that makes you forget all about heights, in the clearing below you can clearly see a group of five Imperial soldiers, one of whom is pointing up at your location. As you watch you can see a web of magical energy forming around one of the soldiers, and the other four are unlimbering their bows.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 7, 2012 0:56:59 GMT -5
Mortimer's lips pull back into a grimace, as he bites back the curses that attempt to escape him. He'd been hoping they wouldn't catch his trail; they were probably stronger than he was, and probably better trained at climbing, as well. Paranoid, Mortimer imagines them scaling up the rock face quickly and easily, and skitters back from the edge to get away from their bows. Three hundred feet or not, he doesn't want to risk getting shot.. and one of them could do magic? Mortimer's heart leaps into his throat when he sees the energy forming around the soldier, and he has to make a split second decision. Looking around the ledge, he seeks out the cave, or whatever that darker spot had been, in the hopes he can use it to evade his pursuers. If he can find the cave, he quickly begs, "Light be with me", before dashing in to try and escape his pursuers.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 7, 2012 4:38:50 GMT -5
This ledge is small, like the other one, with just enough slightly angled ground that a tall man could stretch out comfortably. However, this ledge has small outcropping blocking the dark maw of a tunnel which leads off into the pitch blackness of underground. The crack of steel on stone fairly nearby speeds your steps as the first arrow clatters off the mountainside harmlessly. With your fervent prayer on your lips, you dash inside for a few steps before the utter blackness created by the outcropping slows your step. You don't want to escape the soldier's arrows only to knock yourself out on a low hanging outcropping.
Pawing your way along the wall, one hand outstretched in front of you to check for overhangs and turns. A foot sliding forward to check for pitfalls, or rocks to catch a toe upon, you press on.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 7, 2012 11:11:35 GMT -5
The total blackness inside the cave sets Mortimer on edge, but less so than the thought of being caught by those soldiers. Thinking back to how they'd got caught, he imagines Armod suggesting pushing rocks down the cliff to hinder the soldier's progress, but he'd been uncomfortable with the idea of laying traps in the first place. He'd caused enough bloodshed in recent days.. there would be no more of that.
Now, though, he needed some way to see. Feeling his way along the wall might make for some progress, but any loose stone beneath his feet, or low hanging stones, he thinks about the gear he'd brought.. several objects that relate to the Light, but none that could create it. Not even a torch, or anything to make one out of. He hadn't expected to need one, he'd imagined this trip as him and Armod camping out for a few days, then returning to the village after the army had moved on. The thought of how that would never happen, now, causes his stomach to lurch, and Mortimer pushes that thought aside.
Instead, his thoughts turn to the situation at hand. Light... he needed... abruptly, he grunts in pain as he stubs his bare foot against a stray section of rock he hadn't noticed, though the stub heals itself almost immediately. Quietly, Mortimer thanks the Light once again for the gift he was given, then jerks to a stop as he remembers the shimmering web of energy that had surrounded him while he was casting. Flexing his fingers, he begins to intone the words that Melanie had taught him, his fingers twisting unseen in the darkness, until he brings that magical web back into existence, using any light provided by it to move more comfortably into the depths of the darkened cave.
((Hoping to use the visual display of casting to get some light to see by, casting a personal-range, standard action Heal for 1 point. DC is 8, so I can't mishap (rolling d20+1, minimum 3 just avoids mishap). Failed six of twenty rolls, one of them on a natural 1 if you use those houserules here. If so, then I did in fact mishap, on my 10th roll.
The goal is to cast as a standard, while using that light to move.. essentially, maintaining 30 feet of movement, but having the comfort of seeing, at least a little bit.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 7, 2012 13:21:07 GMT -5
(Worth mentioning you would also gain your caster level in HP for that spell, in this case 2hp! Laughs.)
When you thank the light for the gifts you've been given, your fingers brush across your holy symbol unconsciously. Abruptly, you can't see as torches spaced every twenty feet spring to life. The brightness of the torches blinds you temporarily after your time spent in the dark. Once again, your holy symbol feels slightly warm to the touch.
After thirty seconds, your eyes adjust enough to make out your surroundings. The tunnel is about five feet wide, and three hundred feet long, roughly rectangular in shape. The ceiling is about seven feet tall. You can see where tools have been used to expand the tunnel, or chip away a narrow part. Walking the remaining two hundred and fifty feet you stop as the path abruptly ends at a ten foot wide hole. Looking down, your light is insufficient to allow you to see the bottom of the chasm, but looking up you can see the light of the sun. It's warm, life giving rays making the dust of the cave visible in narrow strip across the hole. The path continues after the gap, almost as if this pitfall wasn't here.
Something strikes you as odd as you stand there picturing yourself walking in the darkness, and falling into that pit. The last few feet of the path are rough, instead of the smoothness that the rest of the tunnel has been. Even the walls and ceiling are rough. As you examine the area you note a small placard, in common it reads, "Have faith, and walk in the light."
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 8, 2012 1:22:33 GMT -5
As comforting as it is to have light to see by, the torches lighting themselves still shocks Mortimer, as he isn't used to this whole magic thing just yet. Even his own healing spells don't feel comfortable, much less unexpected life in otherwise inanimate objects. The surprise isn't nearly as bad as it would have been, however, prior to him having made the climb up those first fifty feet earlier, and having gone through what should have been bone-shattering falls without a scratch. Still, the newness of it all, if anyone were there to see him, would be plain to see.
When he comes to the pit, Mortimer spends several long moments staring into its depths. He can easily imagine the fall, after his recent struggle up the cliff, though here he suspects he'd bounce off of the rough stone many, many times. Even the magic protecting him might not be able to do anything against that. The placard catches his attention, however, and Mortimer finds himself wondering at how despite the terrible things he's learned today, this trip, seems to be going fairly smoothly. Aside from the cliff, of course. And the pitons, the self-lighting torches that seemed to be keyed off of his holy symbol.. someone had gone to a lot of trouble to make this path easier to follow. Gripping his wooden holy symbol tightly, Mortimer can feel his heartbeat racing. Every fibre of his being is screaming at him about how stupid this decision is, but given that the only alternative is to turn around and face those soldiers, Mortimer swallows back the fear that's gripping him and shakily takes a step out into what appears to be thin air.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 9, 2012 7:10:36 GMT -5
Your foot doesn't hit anything solid, as you step out into the air. Your thoughts race as your muscles tighten to bring you back onto solid ground. Your foot never even brushed a hidden ledge. Your breathing comes in ragged gasps, as if you had just finished the annual Pass to Pass run back home. Thoughts of home, and the people from home are no comfort, so you tamp them back down, and focus on the problem at hand. Mind now in focus, you focus on your breathing, until it to becomes calm. Although your faith is strong, it's another thing entirely to step out over a bottomless drop. Steeling yourself again, you step out into the void. Again your foot touches nothing, but this time you stepped out to far and cannot jerk yourself back to solid ground. With a fervency you didn't know you possessed, you shout, "Light give me shelter, protect me from the darkness from which I descend!"
Your eyes slowly open, and you realize that your standing in the air - not falling endlessly, while bouncing off the stone walls below. With another brief prayer spoken with every step you take, you slowly make your way through the air. Part way across your left ankle twists, rolling to the side. Just like when you were walking along a fallen log as a child, and you got to close to the edge. Arms windmilling, you sway back and forth on your unseen bridge. Although it felt like hours, you suspect that only moments have passed when you regain your balance. Apparently the placard was literal, and your path is only solid where the rays of the sun from above touch. Glancing up to offer thanks, you see the radiant light above will be gone in moments, as the last edge of the sun passes the opening so far above. Forgetting your fear you charge across the remaining few feet, and drop to your knees on the hard stone.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 9, 2012 23:55:01 GMT -5
Even safely on the other side of the chasm, Mortimer's heart continues to race in sheer terror. He'd thought that it was only his faith carrying him as it had been; clearly, he was going to have to rely on more than just that. "No man eats for free", his dad had always been fond of saying; it'd been his way of reminding Mortimer that if you wanted something, whatever that was, you'd have to earn it. Abruptly, he finds himself feeling very foolish for forgetting that most basic lesson, and reminds himself not to forget it again.
Once his breathing returns to normal, Mortimer looks around, and despite the foolish assumption he'd made, he can't help but be awed at what he's done so far. Before he and Armod had left the village, he would have never thought himself capable of even getting up that first cliff, much less making his way through a magically lit tunnel, and crossing a chasm on an invisible floor. The surge of pride from that realization helps to wipe away the heart-pounding results of the fear, and Mortimer turns his attention toward making his way further along this path, gripping his holy symbol and giving a short prayer for the well-being of the soldiers following him - a difficult thing for him to do, but his prayers are heartfelt, wishing that no harm come to them, even as he hopes they give up on their chase.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 10, 2012 8:32:24 GMT -5
You look around into the dark tunnel ahead, but this time you note the first torch spaced about twenty feet away. The light coming from down the shaft is abruptly muted. There is still a little ambient light, but the actual rays of the sun no longer reach this far down. Then all the lights go out, as the torches in the tunnel across the chasm snuff out suddenly. Once more in near complete dark, you marvel for a moment at the timing of your trip. If you had fallen just one more time on the cliff outside, you would not have been across that invisible bridge before the light from above faded. You also realize that there is no going back, at least until high-sun tomorrow.
Gripping your holy symbol again, the first torch blazes to life. At your first step further into the tunnel you realize to your horror, that you cracked your holy symbol near in half with your terrified grip. Several wood fibers are all that hold it together. Fear driven panicked thoughts wonder if the torches will go out if you don't have your holy symbol, and as if on cue the torch nearest to you snuffs out.
From what you saw of the tunnel before the light faded, it goes on straight as an arrow as far as the torch would let you see.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 10, 2012 11:01:46 GMT -5
The fear that strikes when his holy symbol breaks is different from the adrenaline-fuelled fright of putting his physical well being at risk; instead, it's more of a soul-rending horror, as the lights go out around him. After that last test - what else could it have been? - the thought of being without light to see by is made far, far worse. Making an attempt to gather his thoughts, he thinks back to when he'd originally made his holy symbol, and the things he'd learned while doing so. This one had been .. perfect, or at least as close as he could have made it. Focusing on that, the feelings he'd encountered while carefully carving away each shred of wood, he begins to wonder - if he can heal things, can he fix them as well? With the familiar curves of the symbol beneath his fingers, he chants prayers thick with the strange words Melanie had taught him, attempting to focus the same energy he's used to heal himself into healing his little wooden symbol.
If that fails, then Mortimer gingerly holds the symbol close to his heart, careful to keep it from breaking all the way apart. Once he reaches a lighted area once more, he promises himself that he'll repair the damage, at least glue it back together. But until then, he tromps forward into the darkness, more willing to walk headfirst into a wall and let his newfound healing take care of things than to let more damage come to his holy symbol.
((To have this on record; I've now rolled to see how many attempts it took to make his holy symbol, with a goal of DC 20. Totals were : 16, 16, 9, 28, from back when he had Skill Focus. The 9 was a nat 1, the 28 a nat 20.
I don't know if the Heal seed would let me repair the holy symbol, but I'm taking this from the "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" school of thought. Wood is - or was - a living thing, so Mortimer figures he might be able to heal it. Casting as a full-round action, total spellcraft roll of 20, so I could hit up to DC 25. I'll leave it up to you to determine what sort of factors would be appropriate, if any; as long as he feels it might be possible, Mortimer will take any risk to repair his holy symbol.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 10, 2012 13:01:53 GMT -5
The weave of magic illuminates the immediate area, and you weave the threads expertly. The spell goes off without a hitch, and the flash of blue-white energy brings a glow to your hands. Running your finger along the split in the wood, the glow slowly fades from your hands. When you gingerly test the effectiveness of your work, you're saddened to find that it had no effect.
You walk boldly forward, one hand on the wall to keep you pointed in the right direction. The other hand cradling your holy symbol like a baby. The ambient light from the chasm fades quickly, and you're left walking in complete blackness. You walk on for an undetermined amount of time, since keeping track of distance in the dark is near impossible. You stop abruptly when you feel the tell tale roughness set into the floor and along the walls. A spiral of torches spring to life illuminating another chasm which descends until the torches blur into a single lit mass. Another placard on the wall says, "Leap of Faith."
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 12, 2012 2:00:42 GMT -5
Though he can sense the fact that the spell went off exactly as intended, Mortimer is let down by what he considers its total failure. Still, he's learned something - apparently he can only heal living creatures. Moving forward regardless of that, he's relieved to have kept a hand on the wall when he identifies the roughness of the wall, and stops just as the torches spring to life.
Handling his holy symbol gently, he pays close attention to any sounds echoing down the stone corridor, in case there is some sound of the soldiers approaching. Hopefully, he hears nothing, though he can't decide which he dreads more; the sound of voices nearby, or the sound of those voices calling out in failure at that first pit. With another soft prayer on his lips, begging that the soldiers abandon the search and save themselves injury, he attempts to find some pebbles, or any sort of small detritus. Throwing it into the hole so that it scatters along the spiral formed by the torches, he finishes with, "Light, illuminate my path.", not wanting to have another repeat of the last challenge's terror.
((Total Perception : 19, to hear what's going on down the corridor behind him. Also, with the light of the torches, does this path continue on opposite the chasm? Or is down the only apparent direction of travel?))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 12, 2012 10:03:24 GMT -5
From where you are, the tunnel heads back the way you came, and going forward the path 'T' junctions vertically. The spiral of torches illuminates all the way down, until your perspective narrows the tunnel to a blur of torches. Looking upward, you can see a tiny pin-prick of light. The horizontal tunnels themselves are hacked pretty much smooth by tools of some kind. The vertical tunnels are perfectly smooth, with no hand holds or foot holds to be seen.
Listening hard, you barely make out the sounds of metal clinking and one rather heavy booted footfall. Looking back the way you came you can see a collection of torches are lit, and you know that the soldier have reached the first tunnel. The light that you see isn't steady however, it moves up and down, and sometimes side to side. The torches they're using to light their way must be part of their equipment, and not the ones that light themselves on the walls. From here you estimate that they're 560ft away, or about 50ft into the first tunnel.
The tunnel is remarkably clear of detritus, but you think you might be able to break some of the rough wall with one of your hammers, and a chisel from your carpentry tools. You pull out your tools, and line up your first hit when the torches start going out one by one down the vertical shaft. When you pause to see how many go out, they start to relight themselves. This place doesn't seem to want you hitting it with tools of any kind.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 12, 2012 11:36:01 GMT -5
The curse that wants to escape Mortimer's lips is bitten down upon, turned instead into a heavy, and mildly frustrated, sigh. A leap of faith.. but which way? He's certain that his faith is strong enough to see him through, but the last challenge had proven that blind faith might not be enough. He'd have to think his way through, which had never been his strong point.
Still, the presence of the soldiers behind him made him even less willing to waste time. Surely, if he could see their torches flickering behind him, they would be able to make out the light from the torches spiraling down. But.. why down? Was he not trying to reach the Shrine of Light on the upper slopes of the Spire? But there were no torches in that direction... "None of this makes any sense!", Mortimer mutters to himself, as he puts away his tools. Finally, the thread of the soldiers behind him pushes Mortimer to make a decision, and his stomach doesn't wait for him to follow through, it's already dropped out from him. In an attempt to steady himself, Mortimer takes several deep breaths, then intones, "In the Light, I place my faith. In its radiance I walk. Light protect me, and lead me true!", as he takes a couple of steps, gaining a little momentum, and then flinging himself out into open space, carefully cradling his holy symbol as best he can to avoid any further damage to it.
((Jump check like a champion : Total of 5!))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 13, 2012 7:46:43 GMT -5
You're so focused on the chasm ahead that your last step is almost entirely off the edge, one foot slips forward off the edge while the other trails behind. Your legs split like a mirror reflection of a '7', and your back leg's thigh scratches painfully across the rough area. Your momentum carries you forward and into the endless pit. Laying flat out, like you would to make a snow angel, you plummet past the first torch. You pull your arms in to protect your holy symbol, and your body rotates around to face downward as you gain momentum. Torches set every 100ft or so shoot past you at an alarming rate, first up by your head, then left, then by your feet, and then off to your right.
Head, left, feet, right.
The spiral is hypnotic. With the wind generated by your fall stinging your eyes, tears fill your vision, and the world begins to blur.
Head, left, feet, right. Head, left, feet, right.
You fall for what seems an eternity. The spiral of torches making you dizzy, but a strong mix of fear and excitement force you to keep your eyes wide open.
Head, left, feet, right. Head, left, feet, right. Head, left, feet, right.
Sorting through the blurry image below you, you note something odd. The light below seems to be getting stronger, and much brighter...
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 14, 2012 1:55:05 GMT -5
Despite the fear and excitement gripping him, Mortimer's every instinct is telling him to close his eyes. The wind causes him to tear up, the fear of striking a solid surface makes him want to look away, and as the light gets stronger and brighter, he's reminded of how he was always told as a child not to look directly into the sun. Still, for better or worse, he's chosen to trust his life to the Light. Whatever the result, he's committed to chasing this new life with his eyes open, and there's no better time to do that than now.
The thought does occur to Mortimer that this might not have been what the 'Leap of faith' meant.. but given the intensifying light below him, he's guessing that isn't the case. His prayers as he falls are intended to be silent, but the thrill and terror overcome him, and his lips move, giving life to the disconnected, though sincere, thoughts that pass through his mind with each light that flashes by, only to have those words torn away from him by the speed of his fall.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 14, 2012 19:44:20 GMT -5
... and what speed you have achieved. By your estimation, there is a torch every one hundred feet or so. You pass by a torch approximately every two seconds, which means you must be plummeting downward at a rate of fifty feet a second. Why your mind chose this time to figure that out you have no idea, but when you intentionally dive into a seemingly bottomless pit you're willing to let your mind wander where it may.
As you descend you notice something else about the light you're falling toward. The light below grows ever brighter as you near it's source, and with that proximity the temperature grows hotter and hotter. At first it feels like you're looking into an open oven, but soon it feels like your watching a blacksmith work a forge. It is at this point that the torches stop appearing along your route, and you feel a tingle pass through your entire body. When it touches your exposed it feels almost like you walked into a spiderweb, but this web sinks into your flesh right down to the bone.
Do you want to resist whatever is attaching itself to you? If so, make a will save.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 15, 2012 1:01:04 GMT -5
The sheer speed at which he's traveling boggles Mortimer's mind, and at first, when the torches vanish, he wonders what's happened; has he done something wrong? What could he possibly have done wrong, free-falling down this ridiculously deep hole... and how, exactly, was he going to get to the *top* of Heaven's Spire, falling so far down? Climbing even fifty feet had been hugely difficult; whatever the distance he'd falling, it was sure to be more.
With the first feeling of spiderwebs against his skin, Mortimer's first instinct is to freak out and brush them away; the only thing that prevents him from doing so is the careful hold he maintains on his holy symbol, kept close to his chest. He then remembers the feeling he'd been overcome with when he'd finished his prayers that morning, and how it, too, had sunk deeply into his bones. It takes effort to fight his natural inclination to reject the strange sensation, but he forces himself to accept it, continuing his prayers as the magic - for that's what he assumes it to be - binds itself to him.
((I'm assuming that there's no discomfort or pain, rather just weird, in this feeling. If so, he would in fact attempt to resist it - with a total of 10 on his will save.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 15, 2012 14:21:13 GMT -5
The webs do not feel uncomfortable, and there is no pain at all. They feel like a faint tingling, almost like when you get light-headed from standing to fast. However, instead of a little dizzy feeling, this infuses your entire body at once. You free fall for another moment when you see a circle of glowing runes etched around the circumference of the tunnel below you. They flash just before you cross their path, and abruptly you cannot see... Again. Your stomach feels like it floats up into your throat, like when a wagon goes over a large bump, and you float above the seat for a moment.
The world around you is consumed by bright light. At first, you think you have died. Your body laying smashed, and broken on the bottom of that seemingly bottomless pit. But within moments, your eyes adjust to the brightness of standard daylight. Confused you look around, and are hit by a much stronger sense of vertigo than when you looked down from the tunnel three hundred feet above the ground, now you're miles above the surface. You look down through cloud cover at the Urutah valley, the column of smoke from your home still blights the air, but below you now, not above.
You stand on a ten foot wide circle, etched in gold with the Symbol of Light. The very same symbol as your own holy symbol, but with considerably more detail. You notice that the gold is slightly tinged with red, although it has clearly been polished to a brilliant shine, maybe not everyone arrives here safely? The symbol is set in a fifty foot wide plateau of flat stone, jutting out from the face of Heaven's Spire. Looking back at the mountain, you can't believe your eyes. The stone continues skyward into circle of fluffy white clouds.
Overwhelmed by the sudden change of venue, you only now realize that the mountain itself has been carved into the most beautiful temple you have ever seen. The outer half of dozens of towers show, as if the mountain has naturally eroded to expose the temple within. There are also people on the plateau with you, several people stand in a spread out line slowly walking toward you. Each one has a holy symbol to the Light proudly displayed somewhere, and each symbol shines like silver in the sun.
The closest person reminds you quite a bit of the Light-bringer from your village, in fact he could be an older version of the man, maybe his father? "Welcome Mortimer, we have been expecting you." The man says in a warm welcoming voice. He extends his hand, holding out a polished disk of silver, "A gift for you, you have surely earned it." Taking the disk and turning it over, you find that it to bares your holy symbol, but cast in pure silver.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 16, 2012 0:32:19 GMT -5
It really is remarkably easy for Mortimer to believe himself dead, when the world flashes once more into existence around him. The darkness of the cave, followed by the pure light of being back out on the mountain.. he didn't feel he'd come to any harm, but would he have felt anything on impacting the bottom of that shaft? This was certainly what he would have expected on dying, from what he'd heard in sermons.. except for the faintly wafting smoke, which oddly serves to convince him that no, he isn't dead.
With that realization, and as the vertigo truly sets in, Mortimer is made aware of a sudden chill - whether that's from the shock of everything crashing down on him, having escaped from the soldiers, or from the wind passing over his sweat-soaked body, he's barely aware. The adrenaline leaving his body leaves him shaky, and he takes a couple steps further away from the edge involuntarily. Finally, Mortimer notices the people nearby, and resolves to remain standing, though his legs beg otherwise.
The appearance of the man that approaches him, Mortimer finds comforting, and though his body shakes - and likely will for several minutes yet - he can't help but wonder at the man's relation. "Thank you, sir.", he says accepting the gift being offered. The lines beneath his fingers are familiar to him, and just having an intact holy symbol in hand was soothing to him. Glancing behind him, he feels another rush of vertigo, but fights it to see, once more, the smoke rising from where his village was. Turning back to the people gathered, he says, "I'm sorry if this is rude, but is there a fast way back down the mountain? That smoke is coming from my village, I need to get down there as quickly as I can, to help them."
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 16, 2012 7:47:29 GMT -5
The man looks pained and the others on the plateau avert their eyes, unable to look directly at you. "There is nothing to be done for the people of Urutah valley." The man says slowly, but with such tones of comfort and sorrow. "My son was down in the village. We told him of the coming soldiers, but he refused to leave. He told me that some of the young ones were captured, but managed to escape with a copy of the orders the soldiers had. They were instructed to kill anyone under the age of twenty." He dashes a tear from his cheek with the back of his hand before continuing, "He stayed to give the few young ones he could gather time to get away."
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 17, 2012 0:15:56 GMT -5
"Yes, they came for us - but we were warned! We escaped! I got away with Armod, and we escaped! Why would they.. there's no reason for them to burn the town! How could people be so hateful..." Mortimer's voice slowly quiets to but a whisper, the hot rush of emotion giving way to the numbness of shock, and eventually, to grief. Before he loses himself completely, he asks, "May I have some time to myself?", hoping the people who had gathered to welcome him here wouldn't be offended.
(Assuming they agree..)
Once he's given some measure of privacy, Mortimer collapses to his knees, the burst of pain as his knees strike rock not registering through his grief. He can clearly recall how it had felt when Able had stabbed him in the stomach; The pain then was nothing, compared to the thousand blades he feels in his heart, thinking about the whole of Urutah being gone. Everyone he'd known, all of his friends - dead, murdered, at the hands of people like Able? It was easy to let the emotions flood through him, and the depths of his anger surprised even him. He tried to hold that reaction back, to remind himself that those soldiers had been acting under orders they couldn't ignore, but he could remember Able's face. That hadn't been the result of a magical oath. That had been the expression of a man who truly wanted to do him harm.
Given the time, Mortimer remains where he'd collapsed, and speaks aloud a prayer, a blessing for all those who died in Urutah, that their souls might find peace. Each and every person is mentioned, by name wherever he remembers it, and though the process doesn't soothe his grief, it takes the rawness from it, and serves as a balm for his anger. By the end of his prayer - a long devotion, though he has no idea just how long - he finds the strength within himself to ask the Light to forgive the soldiers their part in the attack, and though it strains him to do so, he even includes Able, begging that he find the right way in life, and that he might find the strength to grow beyond his anger. That last is difficult for him, and Mortimer stumbles more than once in expressing those thoughts, but he does feel better when he's done.
Once the last of his prayer is carried away on the wind, Mortimer finally stands, finally dressing himself - it had seemed rude, to do so once he'd begun his prayer - and turns back toward the temple itself. Now that he's calmed, the beauty of it truly affects him, and all he can do is stand and stare. He remembers looking up at this point last night, dreading the journey, as he'd been right to do. But now.. it was all worth it. With his newly silvered holy symbol in hand, he marches forward, tears for his friends still in his eyes, but allowing himself to feel some small measure of pride at what he'd accomplished so far.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 20, 2012 0:03:46 GMT -5
"Although the details won't make you feel any better, I will give them to you if you ask." The older version of your Light Bringer says as he puts an arm around your shoulder, using his free hand to wave away the others. The rest of the group nods, backing up a step before slipping from your line of sight. "You may have your time alone, but let me take you somewhere more private."
Following he numbly, he leads you into the temple, and through many corridors. After a few minutes, and a couple winding staircases you find yourself in a nicely appointed room. Although the details escape you at the moment, you do notice three major details: The room is rounded, so there is no corners. The room has skylight, even though there should be stone above. The skylight pours warm sunlight into the room. Lastly, there is a balcony, a simple rounded plateau with a wrought iron fence. The view is the same as the plateau you overlook, just a couple floors higher. Here is where you will pray.
"When you are ready, I will be in the hall outside. Please take your time, when you're done you can clean up at that wash stand." he says pointing, "and you will find some new clothing in that wardrobe." With that he nods, backing up a step before turning and heading out of your room into the hall. As the door closes, you can see him turn around and extend his hands toward you in prayer.
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 20, 2012 1:28:54 GMT -5
The details.. once he's finished his prayer, and is getting himself cleaned up, Mortimer thinks about what the man had said. Does he really want all the details? By the time he's cleaned himself up - a job in and of itself, with all the grime that had accumulated in his climb - he's decided. For now, no, he doesn't want to know the details. It's still too difficult to think about things at all; knowing more wouldn't bring anyone back. And right now, Mortimer doesn't trust himself to be able to maintain his vow to avoid hate if he hears much more.
As he goes through the clothing given to him, he picks out something close to what the others he's seen here were wearing, slowly becoming aware that he doesn't know anything about their social situation. Still, he figures, everyone here must be followers of the Light; Surely there wasn't much to worry about. His old, broken holy symbol is set somewhere gingerly, still careful to keep it together as best he can, and his new silver one is hung about his neck. The weight of it feels odd to him, though the lines are familiar. Given the option, he isn't sure which symbol he'd prefer. Once he's satisfied with his appearance - likely more along the lines of his 'sunday best' than anything - he heads out of his room, apologizing profusely to the older Lightbringer for any wait he's caused.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 20, 2012 13:25:32 GMT -5
With your prayer completed, you re-enter your room. Looking around, you realize how little you saw of it before. There is a wardrobe, a wash stand, a large bed, and a foot locker. All the furniture is well made, but simple, with little decoration. The water in the wash stand is slightly warm, even though you were on the balcony for long enough that it should have been cool, if not cold. Inside the wardrobe you find ten full outfits, all of which look exactly the same as the clothing the others were wearing. An eleventh outfit is a full set of clerical vestments.
When you open the door to your room, the light bringer is still kneeling just outside your door with his hands extended toward you. As your door opens, he finishes his prayer and opens his eyes, "There is no need for that Mortimer, you have been through a great deal just to get here." His eyes say that you have been through a great deal more than just the trials of the Heaven's Spire. "Allow me to show you around the grounds."
He then leads you around the grounds, showing you the rest of the residences, and where each of the other people are staying. The chapel, which makes your jaw drop at it's sheer beauty. All the simplicity of the rest of the grounds only helps to show the contrast of this ornate space. He then leads you into a more industrial area of the complex, there are labs for alchemy, and for magical study. A fully stocked forge, with all the tools for making weapons, armour, and anything else you can think about.
Lastly he leads you into a mess hall, with long simple wooden benches, and the smells of cooking remind you just how long it's been since you have eaten, and how much energy both physically and mentally you have spent today.
Everyone from the the shrine is here, each sitting alone in quiet contemplation. "We sit alone here so that you can either be alone with your thoughts, or meet your fellow Templars."
(If you can think of other things that should be here, then most likely they were shown on your tour. This place is fully stocked with every pursuit one might want to pursue.)
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 22, 2012 9:06:24 GMT -5
Though his heart is somewhat settled, and he's more able to accept the terrible thing that's happened, Mortimer's mind still reels somewhat as he struggles to come to terms with what it means, for him. As he dresses in what appears to be the standard garb for the Shrine, he wonders.. is this it? Is this where he'll be for the rest of his life? He has nothing left to go back to, in the valley, but it doesn't seem right to be given the gift of magic and then to keep it tucked away on a mountain. Spending some time here would be good for him, he's sure, but long term.. time would tell. The thought does cross his mind - just how far can his healing powers go? Would it be possible to bring Urutah back? He'd have to ask someone about that, if anyone here knew magic.
When the light bringer offers to show him around, Mortimer gratefully agrees, and does his best to remember where everything is. The sheer size of the place is mind boggling, to think that someone had carved this entire place into solid rock is unbelievable. The room set aside for magical study surprises him, as he didn't expect it to be so... blatant, but it's one of the places Mortimer makes a special point of remembering, so he could get back to it.
Once the reach the mess hall, and the smell of food reaches Mortimer's nose, his stomach decides to chime in with a loud gurgle. The last thing he'd eaten had been that ration this morning, and even that hadn't been all to himself. The thought of the littler raccoon brings a brief smile to his face; the little guy had been kind of cute, almost like a little person in a way. When the light bringer describes why everyone is sitting quietly, Mortimer nods, and considers his situation. "Thanks, but I think I've spent enough time alone with my thoughts. Meeting everyone might be good for me, right now. Besides, I made a promise to meet someone when I got to the Shrine, but .. I don't think I see her here..."
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 24, 2012 8:53:05 GMT -5
The Light Bringer looks truly confused, and he responds slowly, "This is everyone who currently resides at the Light Shrine. We have agents in the field doing various tasks, but you should have met only two of those in your life. Your healer, and my son, your priest. My son is dead..." He trails off, closing his eyes, and taking a deep calming breath before he continues, "and your healer could be anywhere. She has access to teleportation magic, although she tends to stay within the bounds of the Urutah valley." He pauses for a moment, while he shows you along a buffet style serving area, "Take as much as you wish, our supplies are considerable. Our food doesn't ever spoil, which keeps costs down." Catching you by surprise, he adds, "Who is it you are looking for?"
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Post by DM Quietus on Feb 24, 2012 10:31:22 GMT -5
"Your son was a great man. He helped me when Mom disappeared, and when Dad died.. and the last thing he did for me was sending me out of Urutah before everything happened. I just wish I could repay him that favor.", Mortimer says sadly. While his earlier prayers had taken the edge off his grief, the thought of those nearest to him having been killed for no good reason was still raw, and he pushed to turn his thoughts to happier places. If any of those sitting at the tables around him make an attempt to catch his eye, Mortimer does return any greetings, though at the moment his attention is focused on this Lightbringer.
As they make their way around the serving area, Mortimer intends to only take a small amount of food, for fear of looking like a glutton. His growling stomach and the sheer terror of everything he's been through, however, get the better of him, and he ends up with a plate piled higher than expected. "She.. she looked like Melanie, but I don't think she was. When I was captured by the Imperial soldiers, I was locked in a little room, and Melanie showed up with me. She unlocked the door, and made me invisible, and taught me how to heal myself with magic. I wouldn't have escaped, or made it up that climb, without her. But I wasn't in my body, and she wasn't Melanie.. she was kind of see-through, and was glowing, really brightly. I.. she was like an angel, I guess? Does... does that sound stupid?", he asks, looking around, both unsure and worried about how that could look to anyone who'd overheard.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Feb 28, 2012 6:33:06 GMT -5
Sorrow clouds the old Light Bringers eyes for a moment, replaced in quick order by compassion, "I do not know any Melanie, but my son spoke of joining Melanie and Christopher in marriage. Is this the same Melanie in which you speak?" He nods at your response, and adds, "That Melanie does not reside here." He then listens carefully to the rest of your story.
Once you are finished, he says, "I'm excited that you can cast spells. The ability to channel the Arcane has only started to resurface in the valley recently." He pauses, thinking about something, "In fact, those under twenty would be the only ones who can cast spells born within the valley. Both my son, and your healer were born here in the shrine. I will have to think long on that coincidence." He looks thoughtful again, then shakes his head, eyes refocusing on you, "The important thing is that you escaped. You've been through a great many things recently, more than anyone should have to deal with at such a young age. You eat your dinner, and take your ease for a few days. I'm sure we will speak again soon." With that, he moves off toward the buffet to gather himself a meal.
Looking about you note that everybody else is either eating, reading a book or sheaf of papers, or making notes in a tomb or note book. Nobody seems to have heard your conversation, or be paying the slightest bit of attention to you at the moment.
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Post by DM Quietus on Mar 2, 2012 14:49:46 GMT -5
In a way, the Lightbringer's words reinforce fears that Mortimer holds - is he really just losing touch with things? It seemed impossible, with all that he'd gone through to get here, that everything could have been no more real than a dream. He could remember the pain of falling during his climb, could remember the wounds he'd sustained, and clearly remembered seeing them heal before his eyes. The thought crosses his mind that he could check his experiences by injuring himself purposefully, but the idea of doing so sends a powerful shiver down his back. Even if he could heal quickly, and immediately, he wasn't willing to injure himself like that. At least he was still somewhat sane.
Abruptly, Mortimer reaches the end of the buffet, and realizes how much time he'd spent thinking to himself - his plate was piled high with bits of everything, some of which he didn't even care for, but he found he didn't much care. Finding a free seat, he finds he doesn't care much to approach the others here, not yet. In time, maybe, but for now.. if anyone approaches him, he wouldn't turn them away, but the storm of things going through his mind doesn't lend itself well to conversation. If no one approaches him, then once he's done eating - barely tasting any of his food - Mortimer makes his way back toward his room, stopping by the space for magical study on his way.
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