New to Giralda, I see. Well, it takes all sorts around here. Take that shifty-eyed weasel by the fire.
Oh, he acts looks like a simple merchant, peddling meager wares, but watch what you say around him. The Empire’s got ears everywhere...
See those two there? They seem all chummy now, but that’s only because Var is trying to convince Jarek to desert the navy in Thisbē and join
those lawless bastards who sail from the Spice Isles. I’m sure that one will kill the other before the week is out, once they’ve got what they want from each other.
Then there’s always the usual mercs; bastards who’d happily kill their own mothers for a coin. Oh, they say those twins from Brelan aren’t so bad,
but a merc is a merc, and money is all they see.
At least there're no damned elves here tonight. One got uppity last month when I insisted the
bastard slept in the stables. A damn generous offer for a half-breed, if you ask me!
Mind yourself if you head into the Wilds. It’s full of things that
would happily eat you and shit you out without a second thought. Even the people who hunt those things are more beast than civil.
Anyway stranger,
what'll it be: a room, or a drink?
SKYE
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CURRENT MONTH: AUREL, 762
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December 2021 Soft hiatus - have a safe, warm, and minimally dysfunctional holiday season!
Like many such sites of the high point of the Elven empire that had come before this continent's current state of affairs, this one had started out as a deceptively delicate looking complex of buildings. Then been burned to the ground, the wreckage used for firewood or other construction, the whole thing forgotten until after the wars were over, and then another building entirely placed upon the ruins. The human construction, a temple to Lady Luck, showed signs of Dwarven assistance or at the very least influence but it would never come close to the grandeur of the Elven construction it had replaced. No sweeping, delicate lines leading up to impossible spires. No crystalline coatings that sparkled in the light of the sun in worshipful honor of Lavarian the Righteous, the Elven god that had somehow made their tyranny over others a good thing though much of the particulars of the religion were forgotten by the common man.
The doors to the structure stood open, the adherents of Lady Luck trusted in her will to a degree that many others might find insane. There were no guards, there were no locks, ostensibly if you were lucky enough to get away with a crime here they were content to let the situation go as obviously the mistress of fortune had smiled upon you. That said, there was almost always a few mercenaries at such temples thanking Her for their unlikely survival in some fight or another that had gone against the odds. Mercenaries all too willing to repay her kindness with their force of arms should something go awry in their witness. And, indeed, if one were to step through the doors a few such obvious members of that profession could be seen. A couple lighting incense in prayer, one discussing something quietly with one of Her priestesses, and another just sitting on a bench slowly turning a coin over in her hands as she contemplated something apparently quite deep to her.
There were a couple of other people, one man looking like nothing so much as a very down on his luck gambler hoping to find out what he'd done wrong to get such a streak of bad luck, for an example. The rest looking like sailors, fishermen, and their families asking for Her blessing or thanking her for bringing the person home safely. Aside from the priestess speaking to the one mercenary there were a pair of initiates moving about and checking on incense holders to clean them out once the sticks within had burned down to ash. A well used door to the left of the primary shrine at the back of the room undoubtedly gave access to the area where the Priestess and possibly the initiates lived, storage areas, and the cellar an enterprising adventurer might use to access the old subterranean section of the long gone Elven ruins...
After years of searching, a life time devoted to finding that which would give meaning to her life. Nira'lia had finally found the key to her salvation, to the salvation of elven kind. Shaundyl's map, an enchanted relic of the past. The map spanned across all of Giraldan showing the world as it was in the days of the elves. At first glance the map appeared normal but with elven magic, icons appeared that showed the locations of elven relics, objects of power left behind before the war. [break][break]
Now that she possessed the map, Nira'lia set out to claim the elven relics that she would use to creature a new place in the world where elves could live and thrive once again. The first location she found was in Barataka, where she met with the orcs and after a trial found an elven crafted chest. The chest had never been opened, and could only be opened by elven mage. However, the mage couldn't open it the same way that she had unlocked the map. [break][break]
There was another way to open it, a way that she was sure to find if she was able to collect all of the relics from the locations on the map. The next location brought her to Galeros, an island that wasn't very far from Barataka. Nira'lia pondered over the fact that there were at least two elven relics in Annorica, and she wondered if there was a connection. [break][break]
The island was flat, and it allowed a great view of the ocean from every corner, even far away from the docks where ships of all sizes sailed into port. Far beyond the area lied the temple that Nira'lia sought. It was a insult to her kind, the myth of such a being that held sway over luck. It was in human nature to blame their short comings on others so it was very like them to create a goddess to lay the blame on. [break][break]
The elven mage frowned, the imitation before her fell short of the marvels of elven architecture at every turn. Still, she did not lose heart for when the time came and she possessed all of the relics she would rebuild their temples and praise to their gods and nature could resume properly. The people inside the temple were of no use to her, and so she passed them by without a word or second thought. Her gaze swept across the room, and the doors and walls that surrounded them. Somewhere in the temple was the door that led passed the blocks and into the realm of her people.[break][break]
Nira'lia walked among them listening to them speak to each other, and praise their goddesses. The door to the primary shrine was heavy, and it slammed after someone dressed in a grey robe came out. The eyes of the elven mage settled on the door and her curiosity bloomed at what laid beyond. It could be the way to the relic that she desired. She looked around again, then slid the hood of her cloak over her head as she made her way towards the door hoping that no one saw her. [break][break]
Post by Providence on Apr 24, 2023 10:13:21 GMT -6
F A T E
Indeed, the door opened up on a long hall with a variety of doors branching off to the right. At the far end the hall opened up to a room who's purpose could not be seen from so far and with so shallow an angle but there were windows in the one wall that could be seen, tall and clear to allow in the evening sun and illuminate the space beyond the right-hand corner. The hall's ceiling was a mere 9ft over Nira'lia's head but the room at the far end of the hall was much higher as she could see from where she entered at the hall's far end. No people were evident at this moment.