Legacy of a Guild Master

Eliron

Thank you, @Rancoura and @Xenthos for some very interesting roleplay, and with an outcome I hope I shall enjoy.

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Rancoura tells you, "Dark tidings, Master Eliron."

You tell The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate, "How are you this month?"

Rancoura tells you, "I am quite well; within a humour of contemplation. What of yourself?"

You tell The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate, "I am well. Would the play be amenable to such contemplation?"

Rancoura tells you, "It would indeed, for the Lady Mahalla is one of my muses. Allow me a few moments, and I shall join you."

You tell The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate, "Ah, is she?"

Rancoura tells you, "Aye. She is, perhaps, one of the many facets of the Glomdoring with which I am least familiar, yet I wish it were not so. I am more than pleased to rectify this."

You tell The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate, "Wounderful. I shall wait for you at the stage There are those within your guild who are quite familiar with her as well. Stratas, for instance."

Wisps of exotically perfumed air tickle your nostrils, billowing away from Rancoura.

You flash Rancoura a joyous smile.

With a flourish of your arm, you bow deeply.

The destroyed Grand Hall of the Dark Heart.
The shadowy outline of a twisted forest casts a dark gloom here. Sticky sap and thorny webbing dominates the Grand Hall of the Dark Heart. Where once stood the Grand Chandelier, broken masses of cracked ravenwood branches now stand, their shards a grim sea of splinters. Emerging grandly from the shadows, a dark, majestic stage looms here. A milestone juts up from the ground here, wreathed in thorny vines. The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate is here, shrouded. She wields the graceful black-crystal athame of the Silent Umbra in her left hand.
You see a single exit leading up.

You smile and say, "Good morning."

You have emoted: Eliron glances around the ruins of the hall.

You smile and say, "The hall itself is not what it once was, but at least the stage is intact."

You have emoted: Eliron glances around.

You say, "Though I see the seating did not make it."

A wry smile spreads across your face.

Rancoura's head bows towards you in greeting. "And to you, Master Eliron," she whispers quietly, nodding as her gaze moves around the hall, observing the damages.

Vaguely, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "No. The greev was quite thorough in its ravaging."

You have emoted: Eliron says, "So it was." He stares about at the rubble, his eyes seemingly not quite focused.

You have emoted: Eliron frowns as his attention seems to return to the present, then glances at Rancoura out of the corner of his eye.

You say, "Might I ask a question of you?"

Gaze tracing the thorn-encumbered webbing in particular before returning to Eliron, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Of course, my lord."

Quietly, you say, "I have heard many versions of the tale. But what is yours? Why do you think the greev came and chose the targets that it did?"

Rancoura's midwintered eyes darken with the shadow of memory as she gazes at you, though she soon shifts, drifting forward into the ruins of the ruptured, once-grand hall. Pausing near the splintered remains of the chandelier, her form stills, yet the enfolding shadows twisting delicately around her presence undulate in restless patterns. "It is no secret that our Forest had fallen into a state of listlessness, despite how we might deny it," she whispers quietly, words echoing in the hollowness of the hall's expanse. "It is no wonder that the Wyrd was angered by this, grown restless."

Flatly, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Our Wyrd is an entity of change. It recognized its own idleness, and sought to become more than it was; and in order for a creature to grow anew, it must, at times, shed the old flesh which encumbered it."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across your lips.

You say, "Then you agree, the guilds had become a flaw within the music of the Forest?"

Eyes closing briefly, shutting away the hypnotic, ever-swirling shadowflames within for a moment, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "To the contrary; I would not have thought that the Coven of the Night, nor the Harbingers, nor any of our guilds could be considered such; but it is clear that the Wyrd believe different. But perhaps, my objectivity is not as hale as it should be."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

Gaze settling upon him once more, intent, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Though we are often fortunate enough to experiences only its boons, the Wyrd is a harsh, and occasionally cruel entity to serve, Master Eliron. And often, though we might outwardly claim otherwise, our pride takes a hold upon us, and we believe ourselves to be masterful; untouchable, perhaps."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "I am in no way cross with our forest for forcing humility upon us once more."

Quietly, gaze averting, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Even if such was enforced by the destruction of much which we hold dear."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "One of the Silent Lord's tenets has served to prepare us for sacrifices such as these, Master Eliron, as you perhaps have recognized. That which we treasure can, in time, become a vulnerability."

Raising her chin slightly, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "And I do not disbelieve that the Wyrd would level all within its borders, no matter their loyalty, no matter their past benefit, if it must do so to flourish anew."

You say to Rancoura, "You seem to misunderstand me, Rancoura. I do not rail against what was lost."

You say, "You are accounted a fine Queen among the Queens of Night. Tell me, would the Shadowdancers have been very different, had you never been Queen?"

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

With a delicate gesture of one slender hand, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Perhaps, but perhaps not. There have been other Regals with ideals and methods similar to mine. Each and every Queen and King, each Prince and Princess of Shadows and Darkness, has had an impact upon the late Coven; but in the end, I believe that it will have grown as it was fated to, for such is the will of Mother Night."

Rancoura purses her lips, deep in thought.

You nod your head at Rancoura.

You say, "It is not so with the Harbingers. It bore my mark thoroughly."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

You say, "All of it. Our understanding of the Voice's teachings, how we trained our young, our rites and rituals, what we sought."

You say, "The folly, perhaps, of having one strong and dedicated voice for centuries."

Rancoura suddenly loses focus in her eyes and shudders, then looks curiously refreshed.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "It is evident that the Wyrd recognized a flaw in each of our guilds, Master Eliron. Perhaps, with a reign as long as mine upon both occasions which it spanned, was not as beneficial to the Coven as I had intended it to be."

Voice low as he stares at the rubble around him, you say, "And this thing I built, that I shaped, that I was responsible for in the way few are responsible for a guild of this Forest, was so foul that the Wyrd itself took form to strike it down. Our Voice, undefended when it was needed, took no heed of the calls of any who had served her within the guild, but would only answer some unknown girl she favoured above us, and even after acknowledging her, will have nothing to do with us. It would seem she agrees with the greev's assessment."

Rancoura's head vaguely tilts as she listens, the intensity of contemplation suffusing her fair countenance.

You have emoted: Eliron turns back to Rancoura, his smile tight and bitter. "I do not seek to defend what I built, Rancoura. I do not question the Wyrd's judgment. I seek to learn if there can ever be a place in our new guilds for someone like me, who built something so wrong."

You have emoted: Eliron turns away from Rancoura and back to the stage. "But it seems I have not misread the situation, or the reasons for events. Shall we enjoy the play? It is one of the few things I would dare suggest we did right, since the Voice answered it."

With a shake of her head that sends the aphotic wisps of shadow that stands in place of her head-feathers, Rancoura's hand rises as though to pause your words. "I do not agree that our guilds were built incorrectly," she whispers to you. "It is, perhaps, our maintenance of them in which we faltered. Our ideals were true, our cultures exquisite, our potential, limitless -- but we fell into a quietude, which is inexcusable to the roiling throes of powerful growth. This is a lesson we must carry forward with us, if naught else."

You say, "If our ideals and culture were true and exquisite, Lady Rancoura, they would not have led to stagnation."

There is a shimmering flicker in the air above a grand stage of stygian marble, as it readies itself to replay a recorded performance of 'Nirrti's 'The Heart of Darkness''.

[Play]
 
The air above a grand stage of stygian marble flickers one last time and clears, as the recorded performance of 'Nirrti's 'The Heart of Darkness'' concludes.

You smile softly.

You say, "A good song."

Rancoura draws a long, fluid breath, eyes closing as she absorbs the lingering echoes of the performance.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Lady Nirrti... captured the essence of the Glomdoring to perfection. It is no wonder that the Voice of Mahalla was so drawn to the Wyrd."

You nod your head in agreement.

You smile and say, "As I said, all of the Glomdoring is a part of the Shadowbeat, for all of it called to her."

Rancoura nods slowly in a silent understanding, eyes opening and lingering upon the now-darkened stage.

Xenthos, riding Ilistala, an enormous leopard, enters from the up, emanating an aura of immense power.
Ilistala emerges from the shadows, curiously looking around.

You incline your head politely to Xenthos.

Rancoura inclines her head politely to Xenthos.

You smile and say, "Good evening, Warden."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Greetings."

You smile and say, "We were just enjoying the Heart of Darkness."

Quietly, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "As well as contemplating
the reasoning behind the culling of the Wyrd."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

Xenthos nods once, his gaze sweeping across the sea of splinters.

You say, "Mmm."

With a deferent incline of her head, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Though I believe we may disagree upon certain points, if only slightly."

You smile and say, "Very slightly, I would say."

Rancoura nods, a the small smile still playing upon her lips.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Ultimately, I bear little doubt that the Shadowbeat shall bear a prominent influence upon each of our guilds. The Auguries, in particular... I wish to guide to explore and revere the Wyrden melodies as deeply as we are able."

You smile and say, "I have no doubt of the role the Shadowbeat and even the Voice shall play."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "For the Augurs must listen to all modicum of sound and witness all glimpse of vision within the forest, if our purpose is to be served."

You smile and say, "I am certain they shall do well. As will the Thornwatch, should they choose to explore her."

You incline your head politely to Xenthos.

You smile and say to Rancoura, "I do not doubt this Forest, Rancoura, or what you shall rebuild."

Delicately, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Yet it would seem that you doubt your own place within it, Master Eliron, though I would wish to convince you of otherwise."

You say, "I would say I am far too certain of the role I have played in it."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

Smoothly, with an elegant gesture, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "If you believe that the ruin of the Harbingers was, in some form, the fault of yourself, then the same could be suggested for all of the Glomdoring's leaders at the time, and perhaps each and every one of the predecessors."

You smile and say, "So it could. I have not said that it could not. I leave that up to each to judge for themselves."

Still adopting a smoothness of tone, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Yet, regardless of whether that is the case, we have survived. The greev and its offspring drew our blood, over, and over, and over yet again, yet we stand here, still. What reason could there be for this?"

You smile and say, "Sleeping through the culling may have had an impact."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Yet the aggression of the forest did not stir upon your wakening."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Believe you me, it would have taken little effort for it to have done so."

You say, "After being chastised by the Lady of Thorns?"

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across your lips.

You say, "I suppose it would be that audacious. It is the Wyrd, after all. But nor am I so self-regarding I would expect it to take such notice."

A firmness entering her soft voice now, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Nor were the Spirit Warden nor I slumbering through the razing of the forest, yet our guilds are no more."

You say, "They are not. Though we have established that your role in the Shadowdancers was not the same as my role in the Harbingers."

You say, "The Warden could likely make an argument for his role in the Ebonguard, but as I said, I leave each to make their own judgment."

Rancoura scrutinizes you in silence for a long moment, winterfires shifting beneath the weight of her gaze.

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I feel as if I am a bit behind in this conversation, but has it been considered that it was not the guilds that were weak, not us that were weak? We do not know what caused the greev to waken, but we do know that it went far past its purpose and started hacking at that which was strong within the Glomdoring. The guilds fell, yes, but that is not necessarily proof that they themselves were weak. There is now a hole within the Forest, a void for new guilds to fill, but that which was important to the old need not be forgotten.  Should not be forgotten."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips as she glances at Xenthos.

Xenthos tilts his head, eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully.

You say, "We have discussed this before. But yet, what precisely do you think woke the greev if not that which it targetted?"

You say, "And given the Voice's apparent distaste for those who once served her, well, it speaks volumes about the value she would place on the guild that served her."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "The greev did not wake until Serenwilde's version of the greev-- Delosidir, I think-- had wreaked bloody ruin throughout the Serenwilde."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "We know that there is some connection between the Forests, through the fae if nothing else."

Shrugging slightly, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Perhaps the Glomdoring felt that there was a threat that might be coming to the Forest, something which required its final line of defense be activated-- that anything which might slow it down be purged. Thus, the greev awoke... and ended up running amok."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I am not sure we will ever know the truth."

You say, "Perhaps, though given the greev's purpose as we understand it, it would make a strange choice of guardian."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Further, the absence of the Voice does not prove that She is disdainful of her servants. We know not the extent of how She was affected by the greev, and thus cannot assume Her intents at this point."

You say, "She is whole and healthy."

You say, "Unharmed and well."

You say, "So says the only one she has been willing to acknowledge since the Harbingers fell."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Then perhaps She bides Her time, until She decides Her next steps. We may envisage scenarios until we are overgrown by flora, Master Eliron, but we shall not know which is true until She acts."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "It is not a guardian, so much as... that which is intended to reap and destroy anything that might hold back the Forest. The fever intended to flush away sickness. And it decided that the entire Glomdoring, everything, was the sickness."

You say, "We shall not. But you yourself have pointed out that the Wyrd is a harsh task mistress, and that we must not delude ourselves about what has happened."

Spreading his hands, you say, "Shall I tell myself a pretty story about what happened to make it more palatable? I thought that was not the way of the Wyrd."

Raising a slender brow, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Nor must we convince ourselves of our own assumptions."

You chuckle long and heartily.

You say, "And now you argue for us not to act at all--to commit to no path, lest it be the wrong path."

Rancoura raises an eyebrow at you.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to Xenthos, "Is that how my words have come across, Spirit Warden?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "It is not what I have heard, at least. It is not something that we can afford to do, regardless. We cannot let ourselves sit and rot in place."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "We are not mushrooms."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

You say to Xenthos, "Exactly my point."

A subtle chill underlying her words, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "I cannot force you to recognize your own worth, Master Eliron, nor do I wish to force your hand, despite the regret I shall feel should you elect to remove your presence from our forest in whichever manner. I cannot bestow an enthusiasm nor a confidence within you in regards to the new age with which we are faced, and the challenges which we must overcome if we are to continue to serve our tah'vrai to the Wyrd."

Gently, you say to Rancoura, "As I have said, Queen Rancoura, I lack no confidence in what the Forest shall achieve."

You say, "I seek only to ensure that it does so as perfectly as possible, unhindered."

Flatly, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Then there is naught left for me to say, Master Eliron. There is much for you to contemplate, and I shall leave you in peace to do so."

You incline your head politely to Rancoura.

You say, "And I do thank you for your time, Lady Rancoura."

Xenthos narrows his eye, regarding you contemplatively.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Whatever the outcome of your musing, know that the Shadowbeat and Mahalla shall possess an integral importance to the Auguries, at least, whilst my influence upon the faction remains."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Shadows guide."

Rancoura inclines her head politely to you.

Rancoura inclines her head politely to Xenthos.

You say to Rancoura, "And to you."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Surely you can't feel that you are hindering the Glomdoring. It is not something I have ever considered of you."

You say to Xenthos, "And should I expect any different fate for a guild I were to join? I suppose I could join one and simply take no role in it, but what would be the purpose of that?"

Quietly, but with assurance, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "No guild will fail should you join it and dedicate yourself to its success."

You say, "No? The last one did. The last one called the wrath of the Glomdoring upon it."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Again-- I do not view it that way. I do not view the guilds as being the weakness that called the greev. I look back at their strength, what they brought to the Glomdoring, and how they shaped it and I simply cannot believe it."

You say, "And yet, they are not what we seek to rebuild."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "We shape a new future, now. Because they were what they were does not mean that we cannot do things differently, and account for the world we are in now. If we fell a tree to make way for a new, must it always be the same as what came before? Or can we take it and make something new in its place?"

You smile and say to Xenthos, "And why do we fell a tree?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "In this case? It was not of our volition. Sometimes a tree is struck by lightning."

You smile and say, "Which only returns us to the argument of why the lightening stuck."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I do not rightly consider that an argument, I suppose. We simply do not know, so fixating on one possible cause to the exclusion of all others... well. That way does lead to standing still, accomplishing nothing."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "It has happened. Yet we cannot let ourselves be traumatized by it. We are still here. What we have learned remains with us."

You say, "So it does. On the other hand, we have evidence to suggest that I am not wrong in my thinking. We know the nature of the greev, of why it would usually be summoned."

You say, "The question is not trauma, it is--is it worth the risk to assume that I am wrong?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Yes. A thousand times yes. The Glomdoring will not grow if we allow doubt to creep into our hearts, if we fear to act."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "It is always worth the risk, for the Glomdoring -demands- we do so."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Else we would still be the Gloriana. A dead, rotting forest, forgotten by all."

You have emoted: Eliron tilts his head to one side, eyebrow raised.

You say, "You would build a house out of material you suspect is faulty?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Perhaps you suspect it is faulty. I do not. And it is a 'risk' I, at least, am willing to take."

You have emoted: Eliron frowns at Xenthos as he considers.

You say, "Given what it has already cost us? What it could cost us again?"

Xenthos looks at you, his two disparate eyes unblinking, his expression one of confident assurance. "Yes."

You say, "That seems... a very strange stance to take."

Smiling slightly-- just one corner of his mouth quirking upwards, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "I am old, Eliron. We are allowed to be strange, no? Yet here we are, regardless."

You chuckle long and heartily.

You say, ""strange" should not interfere with one's duty."

You say, "Do we not have a duty to protect and serve the Forest--even if what we must protect it from is ourselves?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "You do realize, don't you, that I am perhaps the last person you should ask this question of?"

Xenthos continues to watch you, as his wings flex behind him-- the scarred chains burned into them stretching.

You have emoted: Eliron raises his chin.

You say, "Perhaps you are exactly who I should ask."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Then what you do is simple. You pick yourself up. You resolve that you -will not- let yourself fail. You decide upon an action. You take it. Then you take the next, and the one after that. You do not stop."

Quietly, you say, "I did not think I was failing before."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Nor did I. Yet, another version of me destroyed an -entire reality-."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "Whatever you think you may have done..."

You say, "And yet, how can you resolve not to do something if you do not even know when you are doing it?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "You learn, Eliron. If you feel that you made a mistake, you choose a different path. You grow, just as the Glomdoring does."

Xenthos raises his hand, then pauses. He regards it for a moment, then continues the motion and places it on your shoulder. "You are strong, Eliron."

You have emoted: Eliron tilts his head forward, letting his hair fall across his face.

You whisper, "I know."

You whisper, "I told Rancoura I do not doubt my role. I do not. It is not confidence I lack. I know exactly how I could sway a new guild, shape it, just as I did the Harbingers. I do not doubt what I can accomplish--only the gain that there is to be had from my doing so."

Hand still clasped to your shoulder, Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "And what of the loss from your holding yourself back?"

You have emoted: Eliron gives a weak chuckle.

You say, "I would say what does it matter if my contributions are not sustainable and do not last--but then, I stand before the whole commune last month and claimed that something of them shall remain, didn't I? That something shall remain of all that was lost."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "So you did."

You say, "Then I suppose there was some value to my work."

You say, "And I should like to continue it."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Good."

You say, "Though I do not yet believe it can be trusted."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Yet I do."

You have emoted: Eliron gives a low chuckle.

You say, "And what does trust gain? I...I appreciate it, Xenthos, I do, but if I myself do not recognize where I go wrong, then that trust may be broken without intent or realization."

You say, "Mother Night, the Voice, there is much to draw me to the Auguries. But for now I think the Glomdoring might be better served, where I to serve alongside someone who is aware that--that sometimes we fail, and sometimes we must watch for such failures. Not someone who does not believe such could be true."

Xenthos nods slowly, continuing to watch you.

You say, "Well. I suppose I have a visit to make."

Xenthos begins to follow you.

[travel]

Twisting woodlands.
Black, roiling fog hangs thick upon the air, originating from a shield shrine of Shikari nearby. It is warm and quite pleasant. A mature blackthorn tree stands proudly here. Rotbark, the Blackhearted towers over all, an expression of hatred and agony fixed upon his knobbed and weathered face. Casting darkness all around, a shadow totem thrusts up from the ground, chilling the air. A leopard lurks in the shadows, curiously watching anything that moves.
You see exits leading north and southeast.

You have emoted: Eliron takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

A ghostly white grimalkin with void-black eyes trots in with head high, butting you gently with his head.

You have emoted: Eliron reaches down and twines his fingers in a grimalkin's ghostly white fur.

You say, "I wish to join the Thornwatch."

His voice creeping through his knotholes in a haunting moan, Rotbark, the Blackhearted says, "Shall you watch the forest eternal? Between thorn and root and soil and vine?"

You say, "Aye, I do. My watch shall be unyielding, Rotbark."

One of Rotbark's many branches lashes down and strikes your hand, spearing through it as if it were a needle through cloth. As it retracts, a curved barb of a thorn remains.

You have emoted: Eliron rubs his hand around the thorn.

You have emoted: Eliron shakes his head.

You say, "How strange, to have a guild again."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "It is, isn't it."

Xenthos closes his eyes and inhales deeply, absorbing the scent of his surroundings.

You smile and say, "Well, I suppose I shall have to catch up on my readings, and learn more about this new guild of mine, no?"

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says, "Quite so, aye."

You say, "Thank you, Xenthos."

You say, "I do not enjoy standing still."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "We cannot afford it, anyways."

You nod your head in agreement.

You have emoted: Eliron closes his fingers tight in the fur, then releases them.

You say, "I... pardon. I believe I need to think about matters."

Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist says to you, "We will talk more shortly, I am sure."

You nod your head at Xenthos.

With a flourish of your arm, you bow deeply.

You draw the Fingerblade of dha'Wyrden-cree across the inside of your wrist, causing a line of blood to well up. You then lift the blade into the air, as shadows spill out of the wet crimson tip, swarming around you and taking you to the Realm of Shadows.

Before the Master Ravenwood Tree.
Brennan Stormcrow paces here, his cadaverous body twitching with sudden jerks. The Master Ravenwood Tree towers over everything here, pulsing with an immeasurable yet dark power. There are 15 dark nighthags here. Casting darkness all around, a shadow totem thrusts up from the ground, chilling the air. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. There are 5 black direwolves here. There are 2 armoured bats here. A mature rowan tree stands proudly here. There are 10 illithoid scourges here. There are 10 shadowlord widowriders here. A solstice stocking has been hung here. A crudely crafted shrine of harsh black crystal stands here, thrumming powerfully. Glowing gently with a soft blue light, a delicate dreamcatcher has been permanently hung here. Splintered from the Master Ravenwood, a massive branch lies here, spiders crawling along its rotting wood. Stratas Shee-Slaugh stands here amidst a cloud of deathly cold mist. He wields an athame dagger in his left hand and a song-bound whip of sacred wyrden hymns in his right.
You see a single exit leading north.

With a flourish of your arm, you bow deeply.

You give Stratas a peck on the cheek.

Stratas gives you a peck on the cheek.

You smile and say, "How are you this month, son?"

Stratas smiles softly.

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Doing alright, I think, oho. Yourself?"

You have emoted: Eliron tilts his head to one side as he considers.

You say, "I am... different. I shall work to ensure that it ends well."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

Eliron

Added in separate comment as the relevant follow-up that managed to occur just as I was posting this:

(Glomdoring): Viravain says, "And so the wyrden wood withstood what the fae call greev. Know this, My commune - there is immense power in what you have done."

(Glomdoring): Viravain says, "The soil, the air, the very trees themselves all tested your mettle, hacked through the rotting roots. You bore witness to the evolution of the wyrd, and its first flexing of its power was to prime you to evolve with it."

You tell Spirit Warden Xenthos An'Ryshe, the Ebon Strategist, "It seems there is no doubt after all."

Eliron

So, because A ) I suspect that I looked like a madman talking to thin air to @Stratas, @Xenthos, and @Rancoura by the end there and B ) I have never tried to document a full character arc on the forums here (because it would ruin Eliron's vaunted air of Sophistication and Mystery), I'm going to try following this character arc in this thread. The bits I don't want to tease poor @Lysistrata about with vague hints, at least.

As always, thank you to Xenthos, Stratas, and Rancoura for continuing on this little journey with me, and thank you to the admin who decided to join in.

====================================

Rancoura inclines her head politely to those around her.

With a flourish of your arm, you bow deeply.

You smile and say, "Good afternoon, Lady Rancoura."

Xenthos removes the Marauder's Mask.

With a tilt to her head, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Master Eliron."

You smile and say to Rancoura, "I trust you are well this month?"

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Well enough, despite the children of the north seeking to draw my blood."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Amongst other things, I am certain."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "And yourself? Has contemplation proven a positive benefit, since our last conversation?"

You chuckle long and heartily.

You say, "That would depend on what you are hoping for contemplation to achieve."

With an evanescent smile, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "You need not ask of my own preference."

A masked faeling says, "Then perhaps the better question is "What does a positive benefit entail"?"

Quietly, you say, "I was not wrong in my assessment, Lady Rancoura."

Xenthos removes the Marauder's Mask.

You have emoted: Eliron glances at Xenthos.

You smile and say, "I am where I believe I shall do more good than harm. That is positive enough."

Smoothly, and evidently unphased, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "I respectfully disagree, as I did then."

Noz arrives from the north.
A dark nighthag nods her head at Noz.

You flash Noz a joyous smile.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "However, if you have found your niche once more within the forest, may the Wyrd ever benefit from your nurturing."

Rancoura inclines her head politely to Noz.

You have emoted: Eliron breaks off the conversation to turn his attention to Noz.

You smile and say to Noz, "Everything still going well, young one?"

Noz gives an ancient and tattered tome to Brennan Stormcrow.
Brennan Stormcrow doesn't register Noz's presence and lets an ancient and tattered tome drop to the ground.

You smile and say to Noz, "Ah, it seems someone else will need that tome."

Noz disappears in a flash of light, teleporting by the power of the Gods.

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "A child of few words, indeed."

You have emoted: Eliron turnings back to Rancoura, Eliron murmurs, "The Lady of Thorns Herself declared the greev a bringing of evolution, that which it removed naught but rot."

Still in the smooth tone, The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "As I said then, I shall say now. We survived, Eliron."

You murmur, "So we did. It was merely the work of our hands, of our lives, that was so flawed."

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers to you, "Thankfully, our work does not define is in whole."

You have emoted: Eliron chuckles to himself.

The Last Queen, Rancoura So'hthae, Adumbriata Incarnate whispers, "Us in whole, rather."

Rancoura looks up into the air for divine inspiration.

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "So if it is the building and not the builder, then, don't build the same thing. Build something better."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips as she glances at Stratas.

You murmur, "For two hundred years I served. For two hundred years, I shaped myself to be what it needed. I shaped it as I thought best. I... envy you, that you can say such a thing, Rancoura."

Dryly, you say to Stratas, "And don't trust the builder who ruined the first."

Shaking his head, you say, "It is past. It is done. I accept my role in it."

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Yes, but you need to accept your role in shaping the future as well.

You say, "I am of the Thornwatch, and it is where I should be. I shall serve there, and I shall hold its members to their duty to cut out any rot that comes of it."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Rancoura's lips.

Gently, you say to Stratas, "I have. For now, until the results of my work can trusted, it is best that that role be limited, filtered through others."

Showing that he understands, Stratas nods his head slowly.

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Good, if that is what you wish. Be a keen watcher, and the Forest will flourish, oho."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across your lips.

You say to Stratas, "My goal has always been the glory of the Glomdoring, the preservation of the Shadowbeat."

You say to Stratas, "We are called on to pursue our goals, no matter the cost, no?"

You say, "Even to ourselves."

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across your lips.

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Always. And besides, perhaps the edifice you built, the effect of the Harbingers over the centuries, perhaps that is why the Shadowbeat and the Voice of Mahalla survived the greev. Not despite it."

You have emoted: Eliron cocks his head to one side, considering.

You smile and say to Stratas, "Perhaps, son. Perhaps."

You smile and say, "But she places her faith in Lothwen now. I cannot comment on what she gained from the Harbingers."

You smile and say to Stratas, "Still, it's a nice story to have, no?"

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "I enjoy the stories that bolster our drive and intent, not undermine them.

You say to Stratas, "We are only free to cast the imperfections of the past to False Memory once we have learned from our mistakes."

A faint figure flickers near the edge of your vision, remaining ever just out of sight.

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Just... don't look at the wrong things when trying to find a mistake, is all. If it is your drive and intent to find the flaw and grow stronger from it, then I support you on that. But don't assume everything you can make is flawed, just because one thing you made was lost."

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Other things you made, that you shaped the growth of, they fought the greev and survived."

You say to Stratas, "I would rate this loss as more complicated than necklace with a chain too weak or an instrument with a sour sound."

You smile and say, "Though yes, I remain proud of this family, and what is has accomplished. But it was built under slightly different circumstances."

Faint voices murmur in your ear, "You are quite intent, child..."

Stratas Shee-Slaugh smiles and says, "Then, be mindful of the circumstances."

You say, "I am."

Stratas's mouth turns up as his face breaks into a smile.

You have emoted: Eliron cocks his head to one side, listening.

Shadows crawl across your face, whispering in your ear, "So intent to hold on to this grief?"

You murmur, "This is not grief."

You murmur, "This is duty. This is determination. The mistakes of the past will not be repeated."

Stratas nods his head sagely.

The whispers murmur doubts in your ear though one voice stands clear, "Is that so? Are you certain?"

You murmur, "Yes."

Stratas Shee-Slaugh says, "Then let us stride boldly forward to a glorious future, and the dawn of the Age of Wyrden Supremacy."

You have emoted: Eliron continues watching the shadows about him.

The voices cling to you, circling your thoughts, whispering half-questions and unfinished accusations before finally relenting and pulling back, "Very well. If that is what you insist."

You murmur, "True intent does not leave room for doubt, anymore than it leaves room for folly."

Stratas nods his head in agreement.

You have emoted: Eliron gives a soft sigh and murmurs, "Never the Voice you hope to hear. Not even one of them."

Xenthos purses his lips pensively, gazing off into the distance as he carefully gathers his thoughts.

You have emoted: Eliron shakes himself.

Breandryn

@Eliron - I know this log is Elarin's IC reaction, but I also know that events like these can be hard on leadership and it's tough to not get a little emotional over things, even when you are absolutely aware OOCly that it is nothing personal. So, I just wanted to say that your leadership made an impression on me years and years ago that I remember to this day. When I came to Lusternia for the first time, you were my mentor and you were wonderful. I didn't last long, but over the years in other games I've always remembered you, your enthusiasm for your guild and new members, and how you taught and have incorporated in things I learned from you. So, in my head at least you have a wonderful legacy.

Eliron

Breandryn said:

@Eliron - I know this log is Elarin's IC reaction, but I also know that events like these can be hard on leadership and it's tough to not get a little emotional over things, even when you are absolutely aware OOCly that it is nothing personal. So, I just wanted to say that your leadership made an impression on me years and years ago that I remember to this day. When I came to Lusternia for the first time, you were my mentor and you were wonderful. I didn't last long, but over the years in other games I've always remembered you, your enthusiasm for your guild and new members, and how you taught and have incorporated in things I learned from you. So, in my head at least you have a wonderful legacy.

Aww, thank you. I'm touched to know that I made such an impact. From an OOC perspective, I'm very proud of what I accomplished with the Harbingers over the years. I enjoyed my time with them a great deal, I enjoyed the people who came and went, and I will always be very fond of them. I'm always glad to hear that others enjoyed their time in the guild too, and that I helped achieve that.

I am also very excited for the new guilds too. The consolidation was needed, and I fully support the admin in taking such a complicated but needed step. I've seen lots of amazing ideas and hard work going into the new guild development, and I know there's going to be lots to love about the new guilds too. I won't lie, the transition and the event-story it's built around have been hard and required me to step back and really think about what I wanted to do with the character from here. And I found an option that works, and that I'm enjoying unfolding the story of. It's not what I expected I'd do with the new factions, and it may not be where I ultimately end up, but for now I am (rather unexpectedly given my first reaction to the event!) enjoying my efforts and the wonderful roleplay I'm getting to have with the selection of victims who have been appearing in these logs.

Kalaneya

This is awesome