Ambar Temple - Celina Zabinski - 14/07/21
Aug 3, 2021 15:13:36 GMT
Queen Merla, the Sun-Blessed and WillJ like this
Post by Celina Zabinski on Aug 3, 2021 15:13:36 GMT
All Hail Librarion!
I mean nothing bad has every happened because of a book before... right?
Written by Celina Zabinski
I get to Daring Heights and I’m tired. I decide to head to a local bar and I bump into a female elf. She seems really friendly and asks me lots of questions about where I’m from and where I’ve been. I mean I do love talking about myself… even if it’s the fake version. I learn her name is Dwirhian. She then begins to tell me that she’s going on an interesting journey and she talks of some portal thing between Kantas and Faerun. Then she mentions that she’s going in a few days’ time and would I like to join? I mean I agree, it sounds like there could be interesting journey and profits along the way.
So I meet up at the place Dwirhian mentions at the place and time agreed and low and behold who do I see? But all my old friends, and I say old thinking about Faust. So of course Faust was there along with Velania and Breeze. I think to myself this is going to be an interesting journey. We’re told that our journey is going to be a few days, so if we wanted to stock up on supplies we need to do it now. I immediate head off to buy as much booze and snacks that I can possibly carry. I haggle with everyone I see to get the best prices and I manage to get everything for 4 gold. 4 gold, which was literally nothing, I fleeced them. I arrive back to the group positively glowing with myself. While I’m there Breeze turns around to me and shows me a tiny mini apple. The thing is quite adorable. “Maybe I need to branch out in different apple styles?” I ponder to myself and think no more of it. I take out one of the bottles of wine I have and take a sip straight from the bottle. I look around and decide to see if anyone else wants a drink, so I offer my bottle around. Dwirhian takes the bottle and then she takes a sip and hands it back to me. I smile and then continue drinking the rest of the bottle as we start out long journey.
As we’re walking, I keep sipping my wine the whole time. I mean it’s a long journey. It finally gets late and we’re all exhausted. I know I am. We decide to set up camp near the edge of the forest. Faust announces to the group that he learned something from Veridian on their last adventure which would help with our sleeping arrangements tonight. Next thing I know he casts some sort of dome thing and says we’re all welcome to sleep in here tonight. “Thank you Mister Faust. He really is a kind man... He reminds me of my parents. Being all nice and stuff. No we’re not thinking of our parents Celina… stop we can’t go back… they’re better off without us”, Celina thinks to herself but refuses to say out loud. Then we all agree to take turns to do a watch. I can’t remember when I agreed to do my shift but let’s say... I was quite drunk and probably shouldn’t have done a shift. However I refused to admit anything and take my turn at the time mentioned. As I’m starting out into the woods I spot a pair of wolves, I panic for a moment and then really focus and notice that it’s actually just one single wolf in the distance. “You don’t fool me mister stinky wolf… I’m on to you”, I say smiling to myself while staring it down. “What do you know I’m drunk but I can still function… amazing”, Celina thinks to herself with a grin.
Day three approaches and it's the middle of the day, where we all come across a cave which looks quiet. I decide to look around I mean if I was looking to attack people this would be a perfect place to ambush someone. Sure enough as I’m looking around I spot a dishevelled man. His hair is bedraggled and he’s holding the edge of a bow. I am just about to reach for my rapier when Faust immediately tries to talk to the man. He tells the guy he wants to converse instead of getting into 'fisty cuffs'. I chuckle at the word ‘fisty cuffs’ and relax. But I still make sure I have a grip on my rapier. I am intrigued how this is going to play out. I am still staring this man down and readying myself to attack if he launches at Faust or anyone else in the group. The man seems to agree to talk. As he comes out we can all get a better look at him. He’s a human man. He has ruined clothes. He is wearing read tailored trousers but they are completely destroyed. He also has a spear and net thrown over his back and he has a quiver at his side. Faust approaches the man and he offers him an apple. I immediate focus on the apple and think “WHAT? Where are everyone getting apples all of a sudden? They didn't get them from my shop”. The man takes this apple and completely devours out. He gnaws away at it like there’s no tomorrow. When the man is done, Faust mentions about my apple shop in Port Ffirst and that he should come visit. I immediate do a happy dance in my head and just beam widely to Faust. “He’s promoting my shop! What the hell, that’s an unexpected twist”, I think happily to myself. The man then tells us that his name is Ambar and asks us what we’re doing out here, Dwirhian mentions something about a portal to him and the man agrees to show us the way. While we’re all walking Breeze communicates a message to me in my head that the man in thinking that this is going to please someone called All-Gress. I look around and then I see Dwirhian giving us a warning to be alert with her eyes towards all of us. I take out my bottle of wine and continue drinking, as to not look suspicious. Also because I like my bottles of wine. I am curious by this man. We all follow Ambar into a cave and where we end up walking for more hours. Then just before I am about to lose my mind, Ambar mentions that the entrance is just up ahead. Ambar mentions that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about and then we can see fish like people. I immediately get excited and think this must be the Kuo-Toa. I remember hearing stories about these people in Port Ffirst. Rumours have it that if you can convince them to believe in something they really believe in it and take it very seriously. “Long have I dreamed of meeting these people so I can become an Apple Queen. Oh how glorious that would be”, I think excitedly. I tell the group as quietly as I can about what I know about the Kuo-Toa and my amazing idea to become an apple queen. I am just full of excitement. One of the guards points at Ambar and recognises him and calls him a false god and asks who we all are. He says that we’re all pilgrims and that we’re to be paid as tribute to All-Gress.
The guard who’s name we learn is Flib seems to look pleased with this. However Faust is immediately onto the guy to clarify if we’re to come view or be sacrificed as tribute. Flib then clarifies that we’re to be sacrificed of course, but it was a huge honour to do so. Then directs his attention to Ambar and says did you not mention this to them? We all look to Ambar and he says “I thought it would be counterproductive to do so”. We all separate into groups Faust and Breeze stay talking to Flib about this All-Gress thing and Ambar brings the rest of us off to learn more about what’s going on. Velania, Dwirhian and I head with Ambar to somewhere quieter to talk, away from the Kuo-Toa. As we’re walking Ambar explains that he tried to become a portal king. However his plan backfired as his portal seem to become sentient. It now demands to devour thins and he’s now stuck to sacrificing things to the portal know as All-Gress. Ambar mentions he can’t travel far to escape as he keeps getting brought back and spat in the floor in the temple. I am focused on how he managed to convince them he was a portal king. I wanted to know how long he was seen as a portal king before things went wrong, so I ask him this. He mentions it lasted roughly 24 hours. I also ask him how many portals can he make and he just says just the one. I am disappointed and then explain to him that his plan was so silly because if he could only do one damn portal why would he call himself a portal king? It’s ludicrous and that if I was going to call myself an Apple Queen I would be damn will sure to have lots of apples to make it believable. Hence why I could call myself an apple queen. Ambar then replies, “Thank you that’s where I went wrong”. I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not but I accept it anyway with a smile. We decide to re-join with the group and see what we can do to work out a plan.
I suggest to the group that they should help me into believing the Kuo-Toa that I am an Apple Queen. And I start imagining all the things I could do. Floating apples as my crown with my mage hand, floating apples around my body. I would be a glorious. However Faust comes up with a different suggestion. He suggests that we make the Kuo-Toa believe that this book he got is a god. Apparently Faust’s book is fey-crafted, someone can write in but the words disappear after a short time. The idea is that they will never be able to finish the book. One can keep writing in it and it will never end. Everyone thinks this plan is great and I sulk to myself thinking “It’s no Apple Queen”. I sigh and then go along with this new plan for a new god. The freakin book! Everyone starts throwing in ideas on how to make this book seem like it is alive and a god. I suggest that I can cast Barry, my unseen servant. I mention that he can hold the book up and make it look like its floating. Everyone thinks this could be amazing. "Ha Barry is going to be a star", I say to myself with a smile. Dwirhian even suggests she can make some water go around his face to give it shape. I said that’s amazing – I mean I have never even seen what Barry looks like before. Would be interesting. Our plan is formed and we all get into positions. To be honest it is quite exciting. Everyone willing to lie to these people. Everyone believes a book that contains knowledge seems a much less of a threat to one that’s devouring people… score one for the good people stopping the deaths. I mean I guess it’s... an ok idea because it’s still involves lying.
We walk to a large gathering of Kuo-Toa and Faust uses his Thaumaturgy to make his voice loud and ring through the crowds. He begins greeting everyone and starts talking about the book of Librarion, a god that brings light and creates food. This was my cue, so in walks Barry carrying the book. I am so proud of my little boy. Up to devious work and he doesn’t even know it. Velania used light to spread it across the room and somehow there were over 30 apples on the table for everyone to see. I have no clue how that happened but there’s something up. Faust asks everyone if they believe in the book. Some people immediate take to the god and start shouting that they feel smarter already. Faust tells them that Librarion has a mission for them, to write everything they know into the book. Dwirhian then points to Flip and says “Do you doubt the powers of ‘Librarion’?”. You can see Flib doesn’t know what to say and then Dwirhian casts Blindness on him. He yells around saying he’s sorry. Dwirhian mentions if he repents he will be able to see again. Flib immediately does this. Everyone in the crowd is completely awestruck at what’s happening. It’s impressive. I look over to Barry and I notice the book is shaking in his hands. Flib walks over to the book and says he wants to write “Please allow me. Long have I wanted to write knowledge”. Then he looks around the room and says “Anyone got a pen?”. A pen arrives quickly after and Flib starts writing his biography. He's writing so fast and so quick, I start to think to myself “Why does he write like he’s running out of time?”. Then the crowds start to form an orderly queue as everyone is keen to write into the book of Libriarion. Barry is doing his best to hold the book steady when all of a sudden it starts to glow. The rest of the people in our group decide to leave but I stay where I am so I can keep an eye on Barry. As I am watching the book lifts out of Barry’s hand and lights start glowing around the room, projecting words onto the walls. Then out of nowhere a voice rings through the room “I must know everything. You will write down and I shall know it all”. The Kuo-Toa rejoice and are ecstatic for their new god. Barry is no longer needed, so I get him to come back and I tell him well done and that I’ll call him again later. Then I dismiss him and follow the others into the other room. We see that the massive portal that once was there has been shrunk into a small one. Someone asks if it’s the same as the portal he created once. Ambar says no that it has the same energy but it’s not the same. However maybe a mage could resurge the portal. Maybe Aurelia can do it.
Ambar then complains that he has no way of getting home now. Our group tell him he’s welcome to come back with us and make his way home the long way. He reluctantly agrees and our group then leave the temple. As we are making our long way back the group start asking Ambar some questions I am starting to like the guy. He seems to be kind of shady. My kind of customers for my shop. But I can see he’s not getting the same reaction from the others. The others see him as a murderer for all the sacrifices he did. The group are not happy with this, I can tell from their faces. As we approach where we once began after many days, we come into the city and the group start heading towards the local policing area. I try to work out what the group are planning to do. I immediately panic and think “Do they know about me…? No… surely not… They still think my name is Celina… But should I help this guy? I mean it’s going to look really bad for business if I start turning in these types of people. God I can’t have a reputation of turning in potential clientele. Should I tell him to run…? Is that a good idea? Damn we’re way to close for him to get away unnoticed”. As we get nearer Aurelia comes out and spots our group and immediately recognises Ambar with us. She thanks our group and says he will get what he deserves. Ambar realises what our group have done and immediately turns to all of us looks us all up and down and says angrily “Noted. I will remember each and every one of you”. I panic and cast message to him discreetly and tell him so no one else will know “Look dude, don’t blame me. I am just trying to blend in as well. Good luck”. He looks startled and says nothing. I turn to the rest of the group, put on my biggest smile and we go off to get drinks in the closest tavern.
I mean nothing bad has every happened because of a book before... right?
Written by Celina Zabinski
I get to Daring Heights and I’m tired. I decide to head to a local bar and I bump into a female elf. She seems really friendly and asks me lots of questions about where I’m from and where I’ve been. I mean I do love talking about myself… even if it’s the fake version. I learn her name is Dwirhian. She then begins to tell me that she’s going on an interesting journey and she talks of some portal thing between Kantas and Faerun. Then she mentions that she’s going in a few days’ time and would I like to join? I mean I agree, it sounds like there could be interesting journey and profits along the way.
So I meet up at the place Dwirhian mentions at the place and time agreed and low and behold who do I see? But all my old friends, and I say old thinking about Faust. So of course Faust was there along with Velania and Breeze. I think to myself this is going to be an interesting journey. We’re told that our journey is going to be a few days, so if we wanted to stock up on supplies we need to do it now. I immediate head off to buy as much booze and snacks that I can possibly carry. I haggle with everyone I see to get the best prices and I manage to get everything for 4 gold. 4 gold, which was literally nothing, I fleeced them. I arrive back to the group positively glowing with myself. While I’m there Breeze turns around to me and shows me a tiny mini apple. The thing is quite adorable. “Maybe I need to branch out in different apple styles?” I ponder to myself and think no more of it. I take out one of the bottles of wine I have and take a sip straight from the bottle. I look around and decide to see if anyone else wants a drink, so I offer my bottle around. Dwirhian takes the bottle and then she takes a sip and hands it back to me. I smile and then continue drinking the rest of the bottle as we start out long journey.
As we’re walking, I keep sipping my wine the whole time. I mean it’s a long journey. It finally gets late and we’re all exhausted. I know I am. We decide to set up camp near the edge of the forest. Faust announces to the group that he learned something from Veridian on their last adventure which would help with our sleeping arrangements tonight. Next thing I know he casts some sort of dome thing and says we’re all welcome to sleep in here tonight. “Thank you Mister Faust. He really is a kind man... He reminds me of my parents. Being all nice and stuff. No we’re not thinking of our parents Celina… stop we can’t go back… they’re better off without us”, Celina thinks to herself but refuses to say out loud. Then we all agree to take turns to do a watch. I can’t remember when I agreed to do my shift but let’s say... I was quite drunk and probably shouldn’t have done a shift. However I refused to admit anything and take my turn at the time mentioned. As I’m starting out into the woods I spot a pair of wolves, I panic for a moment and then really focus and notice that it’s actually just one single wolf in the distance. “You don’t fool me mister stinky wolf… I’m on to you”, I say smiling to myself while staring it down. “What do you know I’m drunk but I can still function… amazing”, Celina thinks to herself with a grin.
Day three approaches and it's the middle of the day, where we all come across a cave which looks quiet. I decide to look around I mean if I was looking to attack people this would be a perfect place to ambush someone. Sure enough as I’m looking around I spot a dishevelled man. His hair is bedraggled and he’s holding the edge of a bow. I am just about to reach for my rapier when Faust immediately tries to talk to the man. He tells the guy he wants to converse instead of getting into 'fisty cuffs'. I chuckle at the word ‘fisty cuffs’ and relax. But I still make sure I have a grip on my rapier. I am intrigued how this is going to play out. I am still staring this man down and readying myself to attack if he launches at Faust or anyone else in the group. The man seems to agree to talk. As he comes out we can all get a better look at him. He’s a human man. He has ruined clothes. He is wearing read tailored trousers but they are completely destroyed. He also has a spear and net thrown over his back and he has a quiver at his side. Faust approaches the man and he offers him an apple. I immediate focus on the apple and think “WHAT? Where are everyone getting apples all of a sudden? They didn't get them from my shop”. The man takes this apple and completely devours out. He gnaws away at it like there’s no tomorrow. When the man is done, Faust mentions about my apple shop in Port Ffirst and that he should come visit. I immediate do a happy dance in my head and just beam widely to Faust. “He’s promoting my shop! What the hell, that’s an unexpected twist”, I think happily to myself. The man then tells us that his name is Ambar and asks us what we’re doing out here, Dwirhian mentions something about a portal to him and the man agrees to show us the way. While we’re all walking Breeze communicates a message to me in my head that the man in thinking that this is going to please someone called All-Gress. I look around and then I see Dwirhian giving us a warning to be alert with her eyes towards all of us. I take out my bottle of wine and continue drinking, as to not look suspicious. Also because I like my bottles of wine. I am curious by this man. We all follow Ambar into a cave and where we end up walking for more hours. Then just before I am about to lose my mind, Ambar mentions that the entrance is just up ahead. Ambar mentions that there’s absolutely nothing to worry about and then we can see fish like people. I immediately get excited and think this must be the Kuo-Toa. I remember hearing stories about these people in Port Ffirst. Rumours have it that if you can convince them to believe in something they really believe in it and take it very seriously. “Long have I dreamed of meeting these people so I can become an Apple Queen. Oh how glorious that would be”, I think excitedly. I tell the group as quietly as I can about what I know about the Kuo-Toa and my amazing idea to become an apple queen. I am just full of excitement. One of the guards points at Ambar and recognises him and calls him a false god and asks who we all are. He says that we’re all pilgrims and that we’re to be paid as tribute to All-Gress.
The guard who’s name we learn is Flib seems to look pleased with this. However Faust is immediately onto the guy to clarify if we’re to come view or be sacrificed as tribute. Flib then clarifies that we’re to be sacrificed of course, but it was a huge honour to do so. Then directs his attention to Ambar and says did you not mention this to them? We all look to Ambar and he says “I thought it would be counterproductive to do so”. We all separate into groups Faust and Breeze stay talking to Flib about this All-Gress thing and Ambar brings the rest of us off to learn more about what’s going on. Velania, Dwirhian and I head with Ambar to somewhere quieter to talk, away from the Kuo-Toa. As we’re walking Ambar explains that he tried to become a portal king. However his plan backfired as his portal seem to become sentient. It now demands to devour thins and he’s now stuck to sacrificing things to the portal know as All-Gress. Ambar mentions he can’t travel far to escape as he keeps getting brought back and spat in the floor in the temple. I am focused on how he managed to convince them he was a portal king. I wanted to know how long he was seen as a portal king before things went wrong, so I ask him this. He mentions it lasted roughly 24 hours. I also ask him how many portals can he make and he just says just the one. I am disappointed and then explain to him that his plan was so silly because if he could only do one damn portal why would he call himself a portal king? It’s ludicrous and that if I was going to call myself an Apple Queen I would be damn will sure to have lots of apples to make it believable. Hence why I could call myself an apple queen. Ambar then replies, “Thank you that’s where I went wrong”. I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not but I accept it anyway with a smile. We decide to re-join with the group and see what we can do to work out a plan.
I suggest to the group that they should help me into believing the Kuo-Toa that I am an Apple Queen. And I start imagining all the things I could do. Floating apples as my crown with my mage hand, floating apples around my body. I would be a glorious. However Faust comes up with a different suggestion. He suggests that we make the Kuo-Toa believe that this book he got is a god. Apparently Faust’s book is fey-crafted, someone can write in but the words disappear after a short time. The idea is that they will never be able to finish the book. One can keep writing in it and it will never end. Everyone thinks this plan is great and I sulk to myself thinking “It’s no Apple Queen”. I sigh and then go along with this new plan for a new god. The freakin book! Everyone starts throwing in ideas on how to make this book seem like it is alive and a god. I suggest that I can cast Barry, my unseen servant. I mention that he can hold the book up and make it look like its floating. Everyone thinks this could be amazing. "Ha Barry is going to be a star", I say to myself with a smile. Dwirhian even suggests she can make some water go around his face to give it shape. I said that’s amazing – I mean I have never even seen what Barry looks like before. Would be interesting. Our plan is formed and we all get into positions. To be honest it is quite exciting. Everyone willing to lie to these people. Everyone believes a book that contains knowledge seems a much less of a threat to one that’s devouring people… score one for the good people stopping the deaths. I mean I guess it’s... an ok idea because it’s still involves lying.
We walk to a large gathering of Kuo-Toa and Faust uses his Thaumaturgy to make his voice loud and ring through the crowds. He begins greeting everyone and starts talking about the book of Librarion, a god that brings light and creates food. This was my cue, so in walks Barry carrying the book. I am so proud of my little boy. Up to devious work and he doesn’t even know it. Velania used light to spread it across the room and somehow there were over 30 apples on the table for everyone to see. I have no clue how that happened but there’s something up. Faust asks everyone if they believe in the book. Some people immediate take to the god and start shouting that they feel smarter already. Faust tells them that Librarion has a mission for them, to write everything they know into the book. Dwirhian then points to Flip and says “Do you doubt the powers of ‘Librarion’?”. You can see Flib doesn’t know what to say and then Dwirhian casts Blindness on him. He yells around saying he’s sorry. Dwirhian mentions if he repents he will be able to see again. Flib immediately does this. Everyone in the crowd is completely awestruck at what’s happening. It’s impressive. I look over to Barry and I notice the book is shaking in his hands. Flib walks over to the book and says he wants to write “Please allow me. Long have I wanted to write knowledge”. Then he looks around the room and says “Anyone got a pen?”. A pen arrives quickly after and Flib starts writing his biography. He's writing so fast and so quick, I start to think to myself “Why does he write like he’s running out of time?”. Then the crowds start to form an orderly queue as everyone is keen to write into the book of Libriarion. Barry is doing his best to hold the book steady when all of a sudden it starts to glow. The rest of the people in our group decide to leave but I stay where I am so I can keep an eye on Barry. As I am watching the book lifts out of Barry’s hand and lights start glowing around the room, projecting words onto the walls. Then out of nowhere a voice rings through the room “I must know everything. You will write down and I shall know it all”. The Kuo-Toa rejoice and are ecstatic for their new god. Barry is no longer needed, so I get him to come back and I tell him well done and that I’ll call him again later. Then I dismiss him and follow the others into the other room. We see that the massive portal that once was there has been shrunk into a small one. Someone asks if it’s the same as the portal he created once. Ambar says no that it has the same energy but it’s not the same. However maybe a mage could resurge the portal. Maybe Aurelia can do it.
Ambar then complains that he has no way of getting home now. Our group tell him he’s welcome to come back with us and make his way home the long way. He reluctantly agrees and our group then leave the temple. As we are making our long way back the group start asking Ambar some questions I am starting to like the guy. He seems to be kind of shady. My kind of customers for my shop. But I can see he’s not getting the same reaction from the others. The others see him as a murderer for all the sacrifices he did. The group are not happy with this, I can tell from their faces. As we approach where we once began after many days, we come into the city and the group start heading towards the local policing area. I try to work out what the group are planning to do. I immediately panic and think “Do they know about me…? No… surely not… They still think my name is Celina… But should I help this guy? I mean it’s going to look really bad for business if I start turning in these types of people. God I can’t have a reputation of turning in potential clientele. Should I tell him to run…? Is that a good idea? Damn we’re way to close for him to get away unnoticed”. As we get nearer Aurelia comes out and spots our group and immediately recognises Ambar with us. She thanks our group and says he will get what he deserves. Ambar realises what our group have done and immediately turns to all of us looks us all up and down and says angrily “Noted. I will remember each and every one of you”. I panic and cast message to him discreetly and tell him so no one else will know “Look dude, don’t blame me. I am just trying to blend in as well. Good luck”. He looks startled and says nothing. I turn to the rest of the group, put on my biggest smile and we go off to get drinks in the closest tavern.