Through the Fire & Flames – Orianna Èirigh – 13.10.2022
Oct 19, 2022 22:17:11 GMT
Andy D, Lucky, and 1 more like this
Post by Orianna Èirigh on Oct 19, 2022 22:17:11 GMT
OBSERVATIONS & EXCERPTS from the JOURNAL of SECOND ASSISTANT ARCHIVIST ORIANNA ÈIRIGH of ASHKHA
The early bird always gets the worm. It is why I always get to the Portal early. The sooner we go the sooner we can get ahead of Desathrax, their Herald, and their undead. How little I knew. How greatly I overestimated our positioning.
How fitting such a thought would be for what transpired on our visit to Kundar…
Ylana returned, which wasn’t too surprising. She said she remembered me, but in a tone I wasn’t sure how to take. I apologised to her but perhaps she did not believe its sincerity?
Lucky was there too. I was so glad to see him. When Calculus told me my friend a tutor was unable to be there for our lessons I couldn’t help but worry something had happened. But he seemed to be in good health. I thanked him for the chocolates, telling him I had never had such delights before and his eyes lit up with excitement. It’s such a treasure to see those with the experience and knowledge of the world light up. He has so much experience, so much knowledge, and I cannot wait to learn everything I can from him.
Amble came as well, bringing with him his dog, Stiffy. I haven’t been able to quite nail down my thoughts about the gnome wizard. When I first met him on a trip to the Witching Court, and we were at Haspur Knoll, he seemed to make a mockery of my blessings from the Cosmos. But when he showed up, grumbling about cults and not being able to stand evil goddesses, warning us he might “go off on one” I had to look to Lucky to find the way to tell him all may not be as it seems.
Then there was Silvia. A pleasant and really talkative human girl who seemed comfortable enough holding her sword and shield and yet… there was something off. Something missing, perhaps? I’m not sure. She spoke how it had been a while since she had been out and I tried to assure her that should anything happen to her, I would make sure to help. I wouldn’t say the look she gave me was patronising but, more of a, “It’ll be me protecting you,” sort of look…
“…And how is your little egg doing, Orianna?”
She brightens up at Lucky’s question. “Very well! I spent the last tenday with them. Mostly reading to them when I could, ensuring they stay very warm as the season cools. No changes yet, but I have kept thinking about names. We haven’t decided on anything yet, though.”
“Excellent, the more poets we cover, the more names you’ll have to think about! You must be very excited. I would be.”
“I am! It’s the first time where I don’t know what to expect and I do not have any apprehension, only excitement!”
“What in the heavens will you do when it hatches?” Lucky asks her. “Do you have a plan to take it somewhere or will you be rearing it yourself?”
“Grougraloragran asked me to take care of them so, yes, I will be raising them myself.” The thought of raising a dragon herself was something Orianna never dreamed she would be doing. “I’ve already mentioned to Gerhard that we may need to move when the young one gets bigger…” she laughs a little nervously.
“Dragons are very good at looking after themselves — I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about! If it hatches, please let me know as soon as I can visit.”
She smiles. “Yes of course! You have to come over as soon as!…”
The Temple of Bahamut was quieter. Less of the clergy walk its halls these days as more and more of them have ‘visions’ from the ‘Platinum Lord’. I already suspected these visions weren’t true ones. But when I spoke with Theilius, a dragon-touched acolyte, he not only confirmed my suspicions but gave more insight into how the people at the Temple have been affected.
Allegedly, their magic started to go awry just before the first attacks took place and since then they have only gotten weaker and more erratic. First Cleric Cornelius has never thought to mention this to us and though I can understand why he might not want to, it seems strange. After all we have done to help, though it seems we cannot or are unable to do much, he is still hesitant to trust us. That’s why he had asked us to come. The ancient distrust and antagonism between followers of Bahamut and Tiamat have kept them separate — just like in my vision.
Theilius further explained that those few who have remained have resisted the call of these ‘visions’ but it gets harder and harder each day for them to do so. I asked Theilius to try to describe the one he had, on the chance I could help him find the truth in the lies I suspected he was seeing. As he described it, the acolyte said it was like the manifestation of the Platinum Lord in his vision was only half there, half covered in shadowy flames.
I don’t know if it was the right thing to have done, but I took the chance and told him Desathrax’s name. I guess only time will tell…
As we raced down the halls we could hear shouting. Amble, Ylana, Lucky and Silvia ran ahead but I stopped to help someone, a white dragonborn from the Temple of Tiamat who was still alive. He kept repeating ‘Don’t let them get to the heart’ over and over. I said we would stop them…
We were too late.
The Herald had already syphoned the flame from the Heart of Fire into a geode — it looked nearly identical to the one used on Grougaloragran. But before we could do anything he shattered it.
Black flames, Desathrax’s face — even more defined than before, unmistakably undead — and the corruption of the power I said we’d protect.
I have failed them…
Continued in ‘New Life, New Light’ 💫
The early bird always gets the worm. It is why I always get to the Portal early. The sooner we go the sooner we can get ahead of Desathrax, their Herald, and their undead. How little I knew. How greatly I overestimated our positioning.
How fitting such a thought would be for what transpired on our visit to Kundar…
Ylana returned, which wasn’t too surprising. She said she remembered me, but in a tone I wasn’t sure how to take. I apologised to her but perhaps she did not believe its sincerity?
Lucky was there too. I was so glad to see him. When Calculus told me my friend a tutor was unable to be there for our lessons I couldn’t help but worry something had happened. But he seemed to be in good health. I thanked him for the chocolates, telling him I had never had such delights before and his eyes lit up with excitement. It’s such a treasure to see those with the experience and knowledge of the world light up. He has so much experience, so much knowledge, and I cannot wait to learn everything I can from him.
Amble came as well, bringing with him his dog, Stiffy. I haven’t been able to quite nail down my thoughts about the gnome wizard. When I first met him on a trip to the Witching Court, and we were at Haspur Knoll, he seemed to make a mockery of my blessings from the Cosmos. But when he showed up, grumbling about cults and not being able to stand evil goddesses, warning us he might “go off on one” I had to look to Lucky to find the way to tell him all may not be as it seems.
Then there was Silvia. A pleasant and really talkative human girl who seemed comfortable enough holding her sword and shield and yet… there was something off. Something missing, perhaps? I’m not sure. She spoke how it had been a while since she had been out and I tried to assure her that should anything happen to her, I would make sure to help. I wouldn’t say the look she gave me was patronising but, more of a, “It’ll be me protecting you,” sort of look…
“…And how is your little egg doing, Orianna?”
She brightens up at Lucky’s question. “Very well! I spent the last tenday with them. Mostly reading to them when I could, ensuring they stay very warm as the season cools. No changes yet, but I have kept thinking about names. We haven’t decided on anything yet, though.”
“Excellent, the more poets we cover, the more names you’ll have to think about! You must be very excited. I would be.”
“I am! It’s the first time where I don’t know what to expect and I do not have any apprehension, only excitement!”
“What in the heavens will you do when it hatches?” Lucky asks her. “Do you have a plan to take it somewhere or will you be rearing it yourself?”
“Grougraloragran asked me to take care of them so, yes, I will be raising them myself.” The thought of raising a dragon herself was something Orianna never dreamed she would be doing. “I’ve already mentioned to Gerhard that we may need to move when the young one gets bigger…” she laughs a little nervously.
“Dragons are very good at looking after themselves — I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about! If it hatches, please let me know as soon as I can visit.”
She smiles. “Yes of course! You have to come over as soon as!…”
The Temple of Bahamut was quieter. Less of the clergy walk its halls these days as more and more of them have ‘visions’ from the ‘Platinum Lord’. I already suspected these visions weren’t true ones. But when I spoke with Theilius, a dragon-touched acolyte, he not only confirmed my suspicions but gave more insight into how the people at the Temple have been affected.
Allegedly, their magic started to go awry just before the first attacks took place and since then they have only gotten weaker and more erratic. First Cleric Cornelius has never thought to mention this to us and though I can understand why he might not want to, it seems strange. After all we have done to help, though it seems we cannot or are unable to do much, he is still hesitant to trust us. That’s why he had asked us to come. The ancient distrust and antagonism between followers of Bahamut and Tiamat have kept them separate — just like in my vision.
Theilius further explained that those few who have remained have resisted the call of these ‘visions’ but it gets harder and harder each day for them to do so. I asked Theilius to try to describe the one he had, on the chance I could help him find the truth in the lies I suspected he was seeing. As he described it, the acolyte said it was like the manifestation of the Platinum Lord in his vision was only half there, half covered in shadowy flames.
I don’t know if it was the right thing to have done, but I took the chance and told him Desathrax’s name. I guess only time will tell…
As we raced down the halls we could hear shouting. Amble, Ylana, Lucky and Silvia ran ahead but I stopped to help someone, a white dragonborn from the Temple of Tiamat who was still alive. He kept repeating ‘Don’t let them get to the heart’ over and over. I said we would stop them…
We were too late.
The Herald had already syphoned the flame from the Heart of Fire into a geode — it looked nearly identical to the one used on Grougaloragran. But before we could do anything he shattered it.
Black flames, Desathrax’s face — even more defined than before, unmistakably undead — and the corruption of the power I said we’d protect.
I have failed them…
Continued in ‘New Life, New Light’ 💫