Post by Ziggy on Feb 1, 2004 19:38:23 GMT -5
Yeah, forget about the "Just because everyone else is doing it.." This is da real deal folks. Everything I post here will be permenant! So, enjoy and all that.
It had been seven hundred years since the priests of Laevar had confronted The Storm of Malice and, with the strength of their god, defeated it. The Malice Storm had appeared seemingly at random and was similar to any other storm in its beginnings... But when evil took it, and transformed it, it was a vessel of hate and doom. It went about the nine lands destroying everything. It was said that when the cloud passed over your head, there was a darkness like none other. One could not see five feet in front of oneself. The winds it created threw anything from a man to a house far into the air where it was almost instantly turned to dust. The Cloud shot lightening and fire. Even a mixture of both. It brought down acid rains that melted stone and metal alike. And it called to the dead and allowed them to rise from their crypts and graves to come forth and spread terror and hate. When the warrior-priests came, with their army and with their god's wrath, the skies themselves shook and battled. And for fourteen days the sun was lost to the eyes of every living creature. When the smoke cleared and the skies settled there was an endless blue and sunlight as far as the eye could see. The priests were made heroes. They were given highest honors and right of passage throughout all the lands. There were feasts for seven days and seven nights. It took a decade to undo the storms doing, to fix the broken, and settle back to the way things were. And at last, they did.
Seven hundred years after the The Storm had died out and the evil destroyed, the Priests of Laevar had grown fat, domineering, selfish, and corrupt. The officials took power wherever they could find it and their warrior's killed at leisure. The priests had lost their greatness and their faith. They were barely a shadow of their once greater glory. Few among them were still loyal to Laevar and his will.
Leiner had long been a Paladin of Laevar. Many years. Too many years. Back when he joined, there was hope, there was love, and there was light. His lineage to the legendary priest of old, Kraoth, who lead the armies to victory against the Storm, and it was an honor. Now all that had changed. Now his fellows mocked him for it, and constantly look upon him with spite. The knights of Laevar committed violent, unexcusable acts and their masters honored them for it. Prayers were no longer sung in the courtyards and hallways. Nor, did the knights start with morning ritual or end with evening prayers. It was something he grieved for greatly. It seemed The Holy themselves had been corrupted by an unseen being who wished nothing more than the priests to be destroyed.
Leiner woke with a start but did not move. Someone was standing over him. He tried to see but the face was hidden in the shadows of the night. Leiner heard his name whispered.
"What do you want?" Leiner breathed.
"Come with me" an unfamiliar voice replied. Leiner rose, dressed, and armed himself. Lastly, he reached for his necklace, which was still around his neck. It was made of silver and gold. Representing Laevar and the priests was silver on the left, and gold on the right for The Storm and its evils. It showed a great battle. It was an heirloom passed down by the sons of Kraoth. It was his now. He kept it around his neck at all times, even sleeping. He followed the shadow of a man down the familiar stairs of his cathedral and through familiar passageways and doors.
At last they came upon the inner shrine, a grand hall with pillars lining both sides. Huge stone tiles made the floor. The ceiling was made of glass. It let in the moonlight as they walked through the hall. A great statue had been erected portraying Laevar, as he was when he walked the earth and spread light and knowledge throughout the lands. The knights had horridly defaced it. The Lamp of Laevar had been left unlit. The vigil of their priests was gone. He knelt by the lamp, offered up a pray of apology and lit the Lamp.
Even with the light his phantom appeared no clearer except that it appeared to be a man. He wore a cloak as black as the sky itself and a hood to hide his face.
"The Faith you belong to is dying." he spoke in a raspy voice. Leiner could not argue. "Laevar is becoming weak with the foulness of his followers. You may be the last..."
Leiner found his voice "Last of what?" His voice was shaky and he knew it.
"Last of his followers who remains loyal. Leiner, he who remains faithful to His word. The last true Paladin of Laevar."
Something about this man chilled him. Something in his voice sent shivers down his spine. But most of all he hated how this shadow of a man could so easily keep him off balance. “There are others. I have seen them. There are still some who do good deeds. Some you might try other than me?” To Leiner, his voice came out like that of a frightened child.
The raspy voice showed more emotion on this subject and spoke with what sounded like passion. “No, there are none. You see it yourself. Everyday of your life in this pathetic wasteland of lost morals and faded dreams. Knights who slay innocents for the lust of battle in the name of Laevar. It sickens you doesn’t it? To see those with power exploit it in such a way. To watch as people die and villages burn for no reason other than someone’s pleasure, and all the while, the world around you seems to sink into a black pit of sorrow and doom.” Leiner heard these things and knew them true. He felt them every waking moment of his life. “Your life is committed to serving a god who seems to have no power to change what his followers have become. Do you lose hope? Do you think it will never change?” There was a pause. It was the kind in which Leiner wasn’t sure whether to wait for more or answer. Even if he was expected to answer, words wouldn’t come to him. The shadow continued, “I still have hope. That is why I have come to you. You inspire me in ways you could not imagine. I see you here, standing uncorrupted by their treachery and bloodshed. It lifts my spirits. Like seeing the moon in the darkened sky and wondering how it remains so bright among such darkness… It gladdens my soul.”
Leiner thought he saw a change of shadows form into a smile where the face should be, but he wasn’t sure. “You ask much of me, to leave with a shadow of a man in the dead of night to accompany him on god-knows what kind of quest. You will give me three days to prepare, to gather thoughts, and think on what you have said. Return to me in a similar fashion. I cannot risk being seen.” Leiner turned away then, to look upon the shrine of his god. The face seemed to smile at him… it must have been the shadows created by the lamp... When Leiner turned around, the phantom was gone and he went back to his room. At long last, he got a fulfilled nights rest.
It had been seven hundred years since the priests of Laevar had confronted The Storm of Malice and, with the strength of their god, defeated it. The Malice Storm had appeared seemingly at random and was similar to any other storm in its beginnings... But when evil took it, and transformed it, it was a vessel of hate and doom. It went about the nine lands destroying everything. It was said that when the cloud passed over your head, there was a darkness like none other. One could not see five feet in front of oneself. The winds it created threw anything from a man to a house far into the air where it was almost instantly turned to dust. The Cloud shot lightening and fire. Even a mixture of both. It brought down acid rains that melted stone and metal alike. And it called to the dead and allowed them to rise from their crypts and graves to come forth and spread terror and hate. When the warrior-priests came, with their army and with their god's wrath, the skies themselves shook and battled. And for fourteen days the sun was lost to the eyes of every living creature. When the smoke cleared and the skies settled there was an endless blue and sunlight as far as the eye could see. The priests were made heroes. They were given highest honors and right of passage throughout all the lands. There were feasts for seven days and seven nights. It took a decade to undo the storms doing, to fix the broken, and settle back to the way things were. And at last, they did.
Seven hundred years after the The Storm had died out and the evil destroyed, the Priests of Laevar had grown fat, domineering, selfish, and corrupt. The officials took power wherever they could find it and their warrior's killed at leisure. The priests had lost their greatness and their faith. They were barely a shadow of their once greater glory. Few among them were still loyal to Laevar and his will.
Leiner had long been a Paladin of Laevar. Many years. Too many years. Back when he joined, there was hope, there was love, and there was light. His lineage to the legendary priest of old, Kraoth, who lead the armies to victory against the Storm, and it was an honor. Now all that had changed. Now his fellows mocked him for it, and constantly look upon him with spite. The knights of Laevar committed violent, unexcusable acts and their masters honored them for it. Prayers were no longer sung in the courtyards and hallways. Nor, did the knights start with morning ritual or end with evening prayers. It was something he grieved for greatly. It seemed The Holy themselves had been corrupted by an unseen being who wished nothing more than the priests to be destroyed.
Leiner woke with a start but did not move. Someone was standing over him. He tried to see but the face was hidden in the shadows of the night. Leiner heard his name whispered.
"What do you want?" Leiner breathed.
"Come with me" an unfamiliar voice replied. Leiner rose, dressed, and armed himself. Lastly, he reached for his necklace, which was still around his neck. It was made of silver and gold. Representing Laevar and the priests was silver on the left, and gold on the right for The Storm and its evils. It showed a great battle. It was an heirloom passed down by the sons of Kraoth. It was his now. He kept it around his neck at all times, even sleeping. He followed the shadow of a man down the familiar stairs of his cathedral and through familiar passageways and doors.
At last they came upon the inner shrine, a grand hall with pillars lining both sides. Huge stone tiles made the floor. The ceiling was made of glass. It let in the moonlight as they walked through the hall. A great statue had been erected portraying Laevar, as he was when he walked the earth and spread light and knowledge throughout the lands. The knights had horridly defaced it. The Lamp of Laevar had been left unlit. The vigil of their priests was gone. He knelt by the lamp, offered up a pray of apology and lit the Lamp.
Even with the light his phantom appeared no clearer except that it appeared to be a man. He wore a cloak as black as the sky itself and a hood to hide his face.
"The Faith you belong to is dying." he spoke in a raspy voice. Leiner could not argue. "Laevar is becoming weak with the foulness of his followers. You may be the last..."
Leiner found his voice "Last of what?" His voice was shaky and he knew it.
"Last of his followers who remains loyal. Leiner, he who remains faithful to His word. The last true Paladin of Laevar."
Something about this man chilled him. Something in his voice sent shivers down his spine. But most of all he hated how this shadow of a man could so easily keep him off balance. “There are others. I have seen them. There are still some who do good deeds. Some you might try other than me?” To Leiner, his voice came out like that of a frightened child.
The raspy voice showed more emotion on this subject and spoke with what sounded like passion. “No, there are none. You see it yourself. Everyday of your life in this pathetic wasteland of lost morals and faded dreams. Knights who slay innocents for the lust of battle in the name of Laevar. It sickens you doesn’t it? To see those with power exploit it in such a way. To watch as people die and villages burn for no reason other than someone’s pleasure, and all the while, the world around you seems to sink into a black pit of sorrow and doom.” Leiner heard these things and knew them true. He felt them every waking moment of his life. “Your life is committed to serving a god who seems to have no power to change what his followers have become. Do you lose hope? Do you think it will never change?” There was a pause. It was the kind in which Leiner wasn’t sure whether to wait for more or answer. Even if he was expected to answer, words wouldn’t come to him. The shadow continued, “I still have hope. That is why I have come to you. You inspire me in ways you could not imagine. I see you here, standing uncorrupted by their treachery and bloodshed. It lifts my spirits. Like seeing the moon in the darkened sky and wondering how it remains so bright among such darkness… It gladdens my soul.”
Leiner thought he saw a change of shadows form into a smile where the face should be, but he wasn’t sure. “You ask much of me, to leave with a shadow of a man in the dead of night to accompany him on god-knows what kind of quest. You will give me three days to prepare, to gather thoughts, and think on what you have said. Return to me in a similar fashion. I cannot risk being seen.” Leiner turned away then, to look upon the shrine of his god. The face seemed to smile at him… it must have been the shadows created by the lamp... When Leiner turned around, the phantom was gone and he went back to his room. At long last, he got a fulfilled nights rest.
