Entrance Thread for Marek Vellion

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Entrance Thread for Marek Vellion

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The soft brush of the salty air finally wakes you up. There is sand between your fingers. A beach! The rushing sound of the gentle waves breaking a few yards from where you lay sprawled on the sand confirms your suspicions. Your mind is empty and you have absolutely no clue how you landed here.

As you look around you see the beach is empty. In the distance some gigantic crabs scurry away. Your eyes kid you not, they are indeed as big as pigs, with vicious claws to match. But they seem more scared of you than you are of them.

In between the gentle dunes, with fair tops of waving seagrass, that mark the end of the beach you notice a small path. At the beginning of the path you see several items on the ground, shining metal sparkling in the sunlight. A small awkwardly written notice, that surprisingly even the illiterate can read, says

"Please leave all weapons here. Beyond this point the gods will provide."
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Marek sat up and rubbed a sand stained hand over his eyes, muttering when the grains ground his skin. “What is… Where?.”, stunned into silence his voice trailed off as the young man stared as his hand and then past it to the rolling waves crashing onto the shore.

It’s a joke. His quick mind was already seeking out the most likely instigator of this prank. “Brentyn, you devil. I’ll get even. Just wait.“ He chuckled as he pushed to his feet and brushed his tunic clean . A joke. Of course. He was still chuckling when his eyes fell upon the crabs scurrying away.

He hauled his satchel up over one shoulder and began his trot towards the path when his gaze was drawn by several items of shining metal, carelessly left in the sand. He found the notice and read through it twice, at first thinking Brentyn might have left a clue on how to get back home. The Gods will provide. It didn’t sound like a way home, and moreover it didn’t sound like a joke. Brentyn was rash and playful. True. But not even he would joke about the gods and most certainly not with his best friend.

Chewing his bottom lip Marek spent another few minutes motionless. What if. The thought took shape and whispered seductively in his mind. What if this weren’t a joke and he was here for another reason?

It was the reassurance on the notice that got him in the end. That, and the impossible hope they had awoken in his heart. Unclasping his sword, he knelt to drape it over the other weapons left behind.

Weaponless, he deeply inhaled the sea air and turned to take his first steps onto the path leading into the Dunes, away from the beach and towards Lumi knew where.
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Post by Finodborn »

OOC: Hi, I'll be your mod here, of that's ok with you. Feel free at any time to contact me about any problems, issues, desires, suggestions.

IC: As Marek walked up the path many before had trod, he passed by the same large fields. In the distance there were well tended fields, replete with crops gently swaying in the mild breeze that swept the Isle. Although he could see people working, he like those before her, felt himself drawn along the path, and could not veer away to investigate these fields, or the attendant farmers.

Soon he found himself approaching a collection of white buildings. The path ended on a dusty square, in front of what was clearly the centrepiece of the settlement, if one could call it that. The entrance, marked by two huge marble pillars, had no doors, only a deep, inviting darkness, that pulled at his very soul to enter, in fact Marek found the pull of the entrance almost unbearable.
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OOC: Hello there, Finodborn. I'd be honored to have you as my Mod : )

IC:

He hurried over the path, satchel slung negligently over one shoulder. The loss of his weapon no longer bothered him, there was no place for such trivialities where this unearthly pull tugged him along at an increasing pace. Sunshine fell upon his face, and he’d have grinned up to the blue skies if he had spared himself a moment.
Not now though, as the only time he did pause in his near run was when he had reached the dark entrance and allowed himself a few seconds to recover. Breathing quickly, he stepped up until the pillars flanked him on either side and waited till his heartbeat slowed.

He stepped forward then, with an eager smile of anticipation tugging at his lips. Whatever lay in store for him within, he was ready.
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As Marek stepped into the hall his eyes were drawn to the middle of the temple, where light fell in through the roof. There was a pool right under it, sparkling in the sunlight.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw four small channels run away from the pool, where overflow water would be easily drained.

At the far end of the pool a large decorative construction hung over the pool, almost like an aquaduct. Darker in colour than the rest of the stone, there was a suggestion that water flowed regularly from its top, about ten metres high.

But not now. Everything was quiet, hushed, waiting....
Last edited by Finodborn on Wed Sep 29, 2004 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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OOC: Marek's a guy ; )

IC:

He left his satchel by the door, pushing it to one side with his foot. Eyes locked on the pool, he approached with slow, cautious steps to kneel at the water’s edge. He waved a hand over the pool’s without quite daring to break through that sparkling surface. An odd place for a pool.

No answers were gained by his silent musings however and so he finally broke the silence that had clung to him since his walk through the dunes.

“Hello?”

He spoke up, and cast a squinting glance around.
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OOC: Whoops! Screwed up there, I did. For good measure, it has been edited.

IC: An elderly lady stepped out of the shadows of one of the corners. But it seemed as if she stepped out of nowhere, for Marek hadn't seen her when he had just entered.

"Hello son," the woman said. She was both incredibly old and vigorous. "May I ask what has led you on the path you have taken? What do you seek on the Isle?"
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OOC: no worries!

IC:

He rose to his feet, fresh from a humble bow before the elderly woman whose name he did not know but who to him would always be "the Guardian".

"Greetings milady." He replied in hushed whispers, between pauses to collect his thoughts. "My thirst for knowledge has set me to this path, finding that I am never satisfied without learning more." The youth fretted at the echo of his words, hoping that she did not consider them too arrogant. Not hearing a response or indication of arrogance, he persevered. "I have come here to learn, truly. I come here to not just leech from your knowledge and wisdom, but also to make use of these, for the betterment of others."

Marek sank to one knee again, bowing his head reverently as he finished, "I wish to serve and protect, milady. I wish to serve and protect in the name of Light and for the glory of Illuminatus."

In the choking silence that followed after the last of his words, he could feel the panic rise in his throat as he awaited her response.
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"Please stand up. I apologize to have doubted you, my son. It is my role to protect the Oracle in these times of darkness. But you may approach the pool now. I shall leave you to your doings.” And the woman stepped back into the shades.

As he approached the pool, and Mareks eyes adjusted to the light further, he noted the blue mosaic tiles that lined the pool, swirling in geographic forms beneath the surface of the still water.

The water was probably about half a human's height, making it comfortable for bathing, although the solemn atmosphere hardly seemed to set an environment for such an endeavour.

Feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, Marek heard a gurgling sound, and within seconds water streamed down from the decorative structure with such force as to create a strong waterfall. The rush of sound filled his ears and it was as if just beyond his capability of hearing a thousand voices filled his head.
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When the Guardian stepped back, he turned to the pool and admired the mosaic tiles. A smile ventured forth as he felt the sunlight, and he raised his face to the skies giving silent thanks to have been allowed this far.

His breath caught when the water cascaded down into the basin and he understood the Guardian’s acknowledgement had only been the first of blessings.

Marvelling at the sounds and the sheer beauty of the water streaming in the sunlit pool, the young man tried to focus on all of it at once. The voices and the waterfall presented an irresistible lure, a mystery that needed looking into. Here were the questions he never had dared to address before today, and he keenly felt the answers were nearby.
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But the entirety of the spectacle transcended Mareks understanding; the complex polyphony of the crystal voices and the fireworks of the light that played with the water formed patterns that were to complex to grasp.

The waters of the pool calmed. The Guardian was still waiting in her little corner. Certainly she was no beauty. Yet she waited serenely, peace radiating from her face and her hands folded in front of her.

She spoke in a solid but gentle manner, as if performing a ritual she had participated in many times before.
"Blesseth are the new. The gods talk to you, son. Are you ready to learn how to listen?"
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As the pool stilled, Marek turned towards the Guardian, tilting his head as she spoke. He recognized the formality in her voice and caught a fleeting glimpse –no more than that- of the countless times these words has resonated through the chamber.

Her question hung between them while the young man struggled to formulate a reply. This time, the words would not come. He swallowed.

Marek, you fool…Tell her! What are you waiting for?

The moment was too important for haste, and too precious for glitter. Discarding the pretty speeches he had been composing in his mind, he met the Guardian’s gaze straight on and spoke only those words he knew were the unadorned truth.

“I am ready.”
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The old lady bowed her head for a moment, whether in recognition, or deliberation it was hard to know.

When she raised it again clear grey eyes stared out at Marek, eyes that seemed to strike to the very core of his soul. Not that you would call them predatory or dangerous, just knowing with the knowledge of ages behind them.

"I can see you are ready to listern son. Cast off your mortal garments and enter the pool of the Oracle. Call to your god and let them speak too you, listern to what they have to say, and be prepared to listern." Her statement had the sound of ritual, like so much that Marek had already expereinced in his first few burns on Oracles Isle.

For such an old frail looking woman, her voice had a resonance that filled the chamber.

OOC: Marek, this is your invitation, I know you have already decided your choice of diety, and this is the opportunity to announce it to the Isle.
Last edited by Finodborn on Tue Oct 05, 2004 4:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Marek stripped off his garments without sign of hesitation or awkwardness. The presence of the Guardian didn’t really bother him although he could not entirely place why this should be so.

His tunic still smelled of the soap they used at home, mixed with the more recent scents of sea and sand. He smiled as he folded it on top of the growing pile. Lastly, he pulled the ribbon from his hair.

The water remained still as he waded through towards the deepest part where he raised his hands above the water. Droplets fell from the splayed fingers as he turned his palms up in supplication.

“Illuminatus.” Reverence vibrated in his voice, a rising passion therein not unlike when he had first told the Guardian of his purpose for being on the Island.

“Lord of Light, You have called and I have answered. Wherever You lead, I will go. I am here to hear Your words and if You would honor me so, to serve You in the name of Light."

He bowed his head, waiting.
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As Marek stood in the waist deep water, he seemed to be surrounded by a glowing light which gradually increased in intensity until he seemed to be infused with the brilliance of the light.

A perfect pure cylinder of light folded around him, as he began to feel something swirl through his very essence.
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Enwrapped in that glowing nimbus the dark haired man remained still, a mortal statue of light. His head bowed, senses concentrating on that which was seeping through the core of his being.

This was Light, in its purest, most untainted form and with all of his heart, he welcomed it.
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As the light intensified and Marek felt his soul enfolded in the light, a single note seemed to hum through his ears, soft and pure, in harmony with the light. The light which had previously infused his body was now forming a wall around him, a perfect circle, just out of reach if he stretched his arms out to either side.

To hum, or not to hum ...
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Alone in that column of light, Marek raised his head, his hearing strained towards that single, pure note. For a few burns he listened, surrounded by light, pervaded by this beckoning humming note.

Although his was not a voice ever to be applauded in any bardic setting, this perfect junction of light and sound demanded a reaction.

Hesitant at first, but soon gaining in confidence he raised his voice, not matching – for there was no way he ever could – but supporting the note’s purity with a low, baritone hum.
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As his humming came into tune with the sound surrounding him, the curtain of light seemed to fall, leaving the young man standing in a circle of white, a residual of the earlier light.

Standing across from him was a vaguely humanoid (or elfoid if you prefer) shape, seemingly clothed in a shimmering white light. The features where impossible to make out, but a sense of power and age emanated from the entity as it surveyed Marek Vellion.
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He thought he had been prepared. Everything that had happened in the past few marks since he had awoken on the shores of Oracle’s Isle had led up to this very moment where he would face the Lord of Light and Balance. For all sense and reason, he should have been prepared.

Unfortunaly, he wasn’t.

Marek’s hands dropped to his sides, rippling the quiet water’s surface. Keenly he felt there was something he should say, but the words refused to be spoken. Reverence paralyzed his tongue, awe made his limbs heavy. He would have knelt if the water had not posed an awkward hindrance

After a few burns the young man regained enough of his wits to bow to his Lord in an open acknowledgement of the reverence that lived within his heart.

“My Lord”, he finally managed, “I have come to hear Your will.”
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Marek's hands dropped to his sides into... nothing. No water, no pool. Only Light and Being and the Presence. And the humming music that seemed to vibrate within and around Marek.

A voice inside Marek's mind separated itself from the harmony of the musical chords.
My Will? My will is the will of the Father and of the Mother and of the Balance between them: the well-being of all. But why have you come? What is it you wish? Only to know my will? Why should I make my will known to you?

There was compulsion in the voice. And also, perhaps, a bit of humor.
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Why have I come? Althought he knew the answer deep down, the thought had bugged him since he had first set foot on the dune path leading to the Temple. What am I doing here?

The answer was there, of course, and all he had to do was word it properly. No small thing under the circumstances. Speaking his mind to the Guardian had been one thing, this was quite something else.

“I have come to learn,” He tried, chafing at the uncertainty of his words. He paused and let a silence linger until he was certain, absolutely certain of what he was about to say. When he resumed, his voice was firm and the words shone with conviction.

“I have come to Learn how to better serve You, learn how to use my knowledge for the betterment of others. I’ve come to offer myself, my heart and soul to You, and to protect and serve in the name of Light.”

He took a slow, deliberate step towards Illuminatus and sank to one knee before his God.

“I wish to become Your paladin, my Lord”
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The entity waited patiently for Marek to formulate his response.

"To serve. To learn. To protect. Come you in supplication. There are many ways to serve. And to learn. And to help develop enlightenment within the hearts and minds of your fellow mortals. The path of the paladin is rarely an easy path. Many do not survive the ordeals one must overcome enter the order. You wish to trade a life of some ease, of answering to no one, for the harsh life of a soldier of Light. You will have to learn to be part of a larger group. Learn when to fight and when to stay your sword in favor of your intellect. And you will meet directly the forces of Darkness that threaten the Balance.

Are you certain?"

There was a sudden pause in the music. Silence. Silence and brilliant light as Illuminatus awaited Marek's answer.
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“I won’t deny that I enjoy the comforts of an easy life. Good food and a warm, soft bed. Evenings in the tavern. They have been good times.”

“I know the worth of what I leave behind”, he said carefully. “It’s a price I gladly pay to be counted amongst the soldiers of Light. I know the path before me will seldom be easy and there’s a chance I will die.” He swallowed. “That is not something I look forward to.”

The young man raised his earnest gaze to behold the shining brilliance that was his God. “Before I came here, I wasn’t certain. Or I didn’t realize it. But then the Guardian at the pool asked me what I had come to do.”

“I knew then, my Lord, that this is what I wanted. Yes, I want to fight the forces of Darkness even if it cost me my life. I want to protect the balance, I want to serve the Light with everything I am and will be. I will learn what I can, endure what I must and remain steadfast in my choice.

“I am certain, my Lord, but if You have doubts, I only ask that You give me a chance to prove myself. I want this” he pleaded, “no matter what it takes. If you will allow it, I would become a Soldier of Light, my Lord.”

A bit out of breath after the sudden, passionate speech, Marek fell silent, awaiting Illuminatus' reply.
Last edited by Guest on Fri Oct 15, 2004 1:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Do not speak to me of doubts. There is no place for doubt in the life you choose. Know that you were called here because you have been judged to have the potential to be a great force for Light.

The music returned and this time it seemed as if Marek were hearing it as well as feeling it about him.

Open yourself to me. Now is your first lesson, Marek Vellion. To be safe in my Presence. To call upon the light. Remember the song you hear. Remember what it feels like to be within this place, My place. It is here that you will find me when you need me.
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