The scene below takes place in Haven one night while the ice is still
thick on the water and a chill seems to freeze the very air itself.
Below there will be sections marked as ... these sections used to
contain text which has been redacted to hide certain secrets from you.
That said there is much in here worth knowing. Please enjoy! Participants: SlothSlow as Cain Immortui of House Rathaka Simon I as Syvil Dernsson of the Drell Forest Cain
would have been looking at the mermaid to return your broach to you but
only finding Adolfo, and afterwards agreed to to take up a post
somewhere where he can keep an eye out on a large group of people. Luckily the night passes without incident. But
as you stand watch on the never completed second floor of an abandoned
building you see Syvil trudge past below you. At first you didn't notice
him and he got quite close. Not becuase he is sneaking but because he
seem to be moving rather slowly, as if he were out taking a walking
after having cried his eyes out. The sight is quite disturbing as you
know Syvil usually doesnt get down like that without a good reason. Cain
confused at Syvil's demeanor slips out of the building he was posted at
and being a large man in jingly scale mail Syvil would have heard him
coming. He puts his hand on Syvil's shoulder and pulls out something
wrapped in a fine silk and places it into your hand. What is it that
ails you friend? It hurts me to see you this way. You see
that Syvil, to your relief, has not in fact been weeping. But it does
seem as if something has abandoned him; as if he has lost something. He
doesn't go to unwrap the item you've just handed him but rather he
stares at you emptily. "Cain, I... I'm not ready. I just...". He says thus and then simply stands there looking through you. Cain
looks at Syvil with sympathy and grabs the silk item from him gently
and unwraps it revealing his broach. Cain proudly takes the pin and puts
it where Syvil normally kept it to anyone who would have seen the sight
it would have seemed like a knighting. I found this in the bush you
made for me earlier after it had burned a strange flame. Tell me friend
what happened. Syvil; eyes widening at the return of his
broach now meets your eyes properly for the first time. Their surface is
blank but deep inside something does stir slightly and then suddenly it
shines out bright as Syvil simply collapses on the ground in front of
you and from the shudder of his shoulders you can tell he is now
weeping. Cain looks around to spot any who may be glancing
our way and to spare you your dignity he quickly scoops you up as if you
were in a drunken stupor and brings you into the building he was posted
at. After doing so he takes the silk and hands it to you. Cain sighs
for a moment as if he is worried and says I have seen you stand proud
and have brought you back from a limp state and you the same for me. I
wish now to help you again please speak your problems to me. Syvil, somewhat gathering himself is silent for a bit. "I'm
sorry. Didn't mean for you to see that. Been holding it back for a bit
too long and then the... Well the broach just tipped it." Clearing his throat a little he continues: "I
had a vision, a broken tower and Erolith in peril. It, it seemed to
real. So I went, Adolfo came with me and we rode out across the ice.
He's a good man Adolfo, we meet something I hope never to see again on
the shore. They were there. In the dark I couldn't tell until it was too
late and we were outmatched. But we were saved by... You remember
Carlos? I don't believe it myself, not like this, not telling it as a
story after the fact, but he. Well he tore into them; telling us to rush
for Erolith." Syvil looks around a bit and huddles up slightly.
You notice he no longer has his cloak which must have been lost when the
broach came to you. "Adolfo had to run back halfway. Haven
needed warning and he promised to send the Red Dragon Brigade out.
Haven't seen a single one around; bet they got to them... So I found
Erolith and..." Syvil stops; seemingly unsure of how much to say. "He
explained things to me, and I didn't understand most of it, but it
seems these men, these things, are the Dromen we have heard about. Only
before there were only rumors, now they are actually here. And they are
terrible. We had to hide and flee all the way back here and that is how
you find me." Syvil, now looking as if the hard part is about to come swallows heavily. "I'm
not proud of it, but I admit I have known this was coming. I have
known, and I have done nothing. I've been misdirecting my frustration
for some time now when I could have... should have..." He goes quiet again and simply looks up at the stars above. Speak
your mind friend I have taken a path of devotion and my word is the
truth; anything you speak now will never leave my mouth so long as you
need it to be kept secret. As for your not doing anything, everything
is inevitable we learn from our mistakes and we fix them. I shall help
you rectify anything that is a problem "We have a story where
I come from. It tells of a man who has lived his entire life as a
mason. Building walls; for houses, for keeps; even for a border. Once
his bones no longer carry him he retires to live of what little he has
put by and takes to a life of wandering. But he finds that he cannot go
anywhere; for the walls he has built surround him and he is left to die;
walled in by his own creation. Tonight, tonight I break my wall." Syvil stands. You took a vow you said? Will you hear mine? Aye friend speak it "I
will be the one who shall uproot the weeds. Protecting the wilds and
those who dwell there from corruption and exploitation; seeking and
stopping those who would. And I will safe guard the sanctity of life; no longer will I hunt nor harm where I have other choice. Instead
I will seek to plant and renew. To sow the seeds of growth by helping
others down a path of harmony by revealing falsehoods. To this I vow, for I now see what is important, and what must be." Seems as though you have found your calling it's; good to have purpose in life. I
have another issue I need to speak to you of. Someone is trailing Viola
so I am sending her into hiding in the meantime she does say they are
unnaturally good at tracking so it can not be the hand or one of the
thieves guilds. And Syvil's face, just now serious yet filled with purpose now turns to one of horror. "If indeed it is the Dromen who stalk her then things are worse than I thought." "They
sense the very magic in this world, they can follow over great
distances those who would unwittingly use powerful magic. I don't know
about any other skill they might have with tracking but as creatures who
life in the wild, able to change shape, it could stand to reason that
they are adept at it." "I have no confidence in my ability to
protect against them, and they would be more likely to find her, but if
you want I would guard her, for a time. These Dromen are now my one
concern and if they threaten a friend..." You see Syvil look slightly scared yet determined. Thank
you friend I also told her it might be a good idea to stay with me at
the Lodge posing as a priestess but she decided it would be better to go
into hiding herself. I fear I may not see her for awhile. Although I
think your words may have changed her mind about going out on her own. I
see the way she looks at you it seems more than just normal interest. Syvil is so taken aback by this last that he completely drops his thread and stammers: "Interest? She has never told me that. What is it she wonders about?" Cain
lets out a loud chuckle. I will spell it out for you friend she likes
you. You are both young and when I spoke of your accomplishments she
quit her usual sassy attitude and turned into a child looking at fire
bugs. "Then she will have no satisfaction. You understand
that the Dromen are terrible, but you don't know all yet. I think, the
oath I just took, no, I know. It was answered. I am now a paladin Cain, I
am Syvil; ward of Isildra and sworn to the Oath of Emerald." And
he stands up straight; face still streaked with tears that have run
through the mud that had been smeared there. In the dark you then see
him take another shape. A warrior is steel plates stands before you; his
green eyes burn with a cold fury forcing your to meet them and in them
you see reflected a vast field of green; the field zooms past and
suddenly you are plunged downwards. You see the forest canopy close in
and then the ground; the collision is imminent and then ... The vision ends and you are once again face to face with Syvil who seems to have been silent but unknowing of what you just saw. "The Dromen are coming for me, and I will try to stop them. Likely I will fail, and soon." As
he stops talking you notice something; it is as if an inner compass in
you points towards the horizon; points towards Maladon. And you know;
that where it would lead you, you would find her. Cain confused by what has happened asks: are you one of these Dromen? Why do they seek their own? "This
is all very confusing, I understand that. It was, is still, a mystery
to me. But no, I am not one of the Dromen. I am Syvil Dersson Half-elven
from the Drell Forests. Or at least I was. I am beginning to understand
why the people of the Empire take new names Cain." "There is so much I do not understand, but I am called to act, and I want to answer that call, for I am sure that it is good." "Erolith says that is why the Dromen seek me, but I don't quite understand, not yet." What of the vision I have just had are you able to change shape or is my mind playing games with me? "Vision? No, I have no such powers." Friend you have told me much of yourself in these past moments and I feel the need to return the information Syvil,
seeming grateful that the focus is shifting away from him and the
Dromen for a bit stands silent and waits for you to gather yourself and
begin your story. Over a hundred years ago my house of
Rathaka was at war with a local house that has put its talons in here
its name is Pellinore. I had come here with my Retainers to have peace
talks with them. During our journey the Mysts had engulfed us and it
took all my powers to protect my retainers ... The Mysts have left me
with a wicked curse leaving me unable to lift my armor from my body and
searing my skin so I am in constant pain. Syvil looks at you closely as you say this last but remains silent. The Mysts also took my home from me ... "But you... Wait. Can we, you know I need to process things slowly, take this one step at a time?" Sorry
friend I could not think of a better time since we are having a heart
to heart. You notice his pitch change when he speaks of loosing his home
earlier "No; now is the time if ever it would come. But this curse, surely you, we, could do something?" You can tell Syvil is choosing his words carefully as he speaks a bit slower than usual; as if treading on ice. I
am doing something about it. Cain motions to the gems in his maul. I
have spoke to every mage I could think of and they told me to unlock
this curse I would need two powerful gems to fill this prized maul of my
family. I currently have one and now seek the other Syvil nods, slowly. "Then,
and I now already carry another burden which limits me, but I will help
you. Your quest will also be mine; do not hesitate to call for my aid;
you shall have it. When it comes to Viola... Cain, I barely know
her. I'm not going to say more than that about her, for now. But the
future would be bleak, you see that don't you? Am I doomsayer or do you
not also read the signs? Evil is coming for us, and I plan to stand as
the very center of the shield to ward against it. And I don't plan on
coming back from that. Who has the right to claim that they would
without being called liar?" Viola is no fool she has though
out all the possibilities once she comes from hiding spend some time
with her and you will find she is a wise woman sometimes it even scares
me what she can do "Then I shall leave the matter to her; if
she has your trust then she shall have mine too. For now, what do you
say we find a warm drink and a place to sit down? My legs are about to
give out." Aye sounds good friend ... Syvil smiles as you walk down the street and you engage in some happier topics than the impending doom. And
together you sit through the night and exchange stories. Towards the
end things again turn somewhat serious as Syvil tells you of the time he
spent in the Drell Forest with the rangers; of his troubles as a
student under the strict training of the martial arts mistress, of the
terrors the Demondim spread in the region and a story of how the troop
that he was put with for further training was wiped out by a nightmare
made flesh. But he also tells of the many beautiful trees and people who
dwell there, of the harmony and strong bonds of kinship shared through
the land as they stand united against the threat from just beyond the
border. Cain pats Syvil on the back and says think of accepting Viola friend; she is a good woman. I look forward to seeing you again.
