Dawn of Change - Galliban Tyren

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Dawn of Change - Galliban Tyren

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Dawn of Change

The new day found Oracle’s Isle a hive of energy. Almost every resident of every temple complex- and likely the common folk as well - woke with memories of strange dream portents. The details varied and some remembered better than others, but all carried the message: The Gods were at War.

The morning service at the Temple of Illuminatus was tense. The high priest spoke at length on the necessity of contemplating any divine messages before hastening to act upon them. He urged those who might have vivid recollection of the dreams that seem to have troubled many of the order to confer with him in private afterward. All morning classes were to be cancelled. there would be a general assembly of the followers of Light at the first mark of Tradetide. Until then, prayer and study were urged upon those who did not have specific duties assigned them.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

When Galliban opened her eyes that morning, she could feel that something was different. It was only a moment before she realized what it was. Memories of the previous night's dream came back to her very quickly, quite a bit faster than memories of normal dreams. The memories themselves were incredibly vivid, though fragmented. Galliban sat up in her bed and touched the tips of her fingers to her forehead, a look of shock and frustration across her face. Her eyes shifted to the nearest window and her head almost instantly snapped up from its inclined position. It had suddenly occurred to her that she was going to be late for morning services if she did not get moving.

Galliban threw her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet rather hurriedly. She dressed herself with haste and combed her hair, then made her way to the services. As she moved through the temple complex, she could tell by the volume and manner of those in the temple that all was not well.

When she arrived at her destination, Galliban promptly took her proper place. She was eager for the high priest to appear, being certain that he would clarify what was happening.

During the services, Galliban was visibly as tense as all those around her. When Ybald spoke, she listened closely and his composure comforted the young paladin.

After the services were done, she approached the high priest.

"Good tide, Abbot," she said after a respectful bow of the head. "You spoke of the dream. The details that I can recall are still fresh in my mind. If I can be of any help, I would speak with you." she continued.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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"Yes, child. The dream. Or dreams rather - there seem to be several versions and interpretations."

Despite his strong presence during the service, Ybald seemed a bit tired and worn around the edges. Obviously his own sleep had been scant or disturbed. He led Galliban over to a small alcove with a cushioned bench.

"Let us speak here rather than trek up to the office."
He took a seat himself and motioned for Galliban to sit beside him. He then turned to look into her eyes. His own eyes were like searchlights, binding Galliban's gaze and seeking within her for knowledge.

"Tell me, Galliban Tyren, what you remember: the dream and also your interpretation of it."
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban nodded and took a seat next to Ybald.

"At first, there was an elderly man and an elderly woman. The man was dressed in a blue robe, and had long white hair and a beard. There was an eagle upon his shoulder. The woman wore a dress and flowers in her hair, which was also long and white. The couple had joined hands. The couple were sad, and the man tried to comfort the woman. They spoke, I think, but I cannot recall what they said," she began in her native language. "I believe that they were the Mother and the Father. One by one, others approached. They spoke of Light and Darkness.

"Among them was a child with golden hair whose name escapes me. An old man with a long, grey beard there was also, and he was less stern than the Father. He was Grandfather Kennis. Our Lord appeared behind the Mother and the Father. He appeared as He had to me in the Pool of the Oracle, clad in pure light. He touched His hands to the shoulders of the Father and the Mother, but did not speak. He nodded to the others and then sat in front of the Father and the Mother. Then the children of the Father arrived amongst hail and lightning among other condition. They soon settled. Pan then arrived amongst nymphs and satyrs, playing a tune on the flute," Galliban continued, pausing in a reflective manner before beginning again. "The Horned God spoke at length, and His exact words escape me also. He spoke of a brother who had done wrong and of items called 'rose crystals'." she said, finishing her thought.

Galliban continued to speak of her dream at length. She spoke of every detail she could recall, racking her mind in an attempt to remember as much as possible. Still, there were some details that Galliban simply could not retrieve, a fact that frustrated the young woman to no end.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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The high priest listened attentively, catching every detail and nuance as Galliban related her dream experience. He stopped her once or twice to ask questions which she could not answer. During the conversation, other priests came near to seek Ybald’s advice, but they respected the importance of the conversation and went on to other tasks rather than interrupt. When Galliban had finished, the priest took a long burn to absorb what she had added to his night’s and morning’s investigations.

“So much of the literal detail... alas, so little of the underlying meaning. I fear conflict among the gods. And I fear that Darkness will take such confusion as an opportunity to move forward its interests. I shall have to consult with the other orders about this before all is done. I thank you for taking the time to share your version of the dream. Hopefully it will contribute to my search for meaning in the pattern of all the versions.”

Ybald seemed quite lost in thought as he released the novice paladin to her duties.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban rose from her seat and bowed her head respectfully to the high priest before taking her leave. While she would have liked to spend some additional time in meditation and prayer, she knew that she had guard duty at the cave site. Not wanting to be late, the young paladin started out immeadiately.

If someone familiar with her had accompanied her on her walk, they would have quickly noticed that Galliban was quite troubled. Her stride had become less delibrate, and her expression less alert. Indeed, it would have been very easy for her to collide with another who had not been paying attention. Though her gaze was forward, the look in her eyes revealed that she was mentally withdrawn from the present. With every step, her thoughts persisted. The events of the past few days, coupled with the previous night's dream, had served to reinforce the sense of forboding that had lived in the achadhiel for quite some time. Even as this cloud hung over her, Galliban continued toward her destination.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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Galliban passed several small groups of paladins training at military exercises as she made her way to the cave site. She was not the only guard who had trouble keeping herself alert to the surroundings. Almost all of the order had been visited by some variant of the dream. The Captain reprimanded several of the guards for being distracted, including Galliban.

Midway through the shift a message came directing Galliban Tyren to report to the Antiquities Vault to meet with Helen and Father Gamble.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban did her best to concentrate during her shift, but she still found herself drifting off occasionally. When Captain Finn caught her doing so, Galliban gave a prompt apology and told the captain that she would not do so again.

When the message came for her to report to the Antiquities vault, Galliban immeadiately informed Captain Finn of the situation. After taking her leave, she quickly made her way back to the Temple as she was very eager to hear what Gamble had to say.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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The Temple seemed a changed place. There were triple the amount of guards on duty and almost every hall or door had a guard assigned. The expressions on most of the faces were pretty grim, but not spoke to share their knowledge or suspicions.

Fortunately Galliban remembered the way back to Gamble's workshop with little trouble. She was met there by Gamble, Helen and High Priest Ybald as well as a few paladins in armor whom she had not yet met. Helen looked agitated but spared a sisterly smile for her student.

The strange disc from the prior day was set by itself on the great marble table. There was also a silver bowl and a scattering of various rocks and crystals arranged in some sort of pattern.

"Gamble and Helen have brought your encounter yesterday to my attention. The facts revealed about this object," he gestured at the disc before continuing, "coupled with the outcome of the Council of Light's investigation of the recent disturbances has left us with a difficult decision."

"Ordinarily we would send envoys to our other temples and to those of the other Gods of Light within the Isles, as well as the Mother's Temples at Kings Court and Taquar. However, we have had... trouble contacting those at Kings Court and fear treachery on the part of the Church of the One. We must send someone to Taquar to confer with the Adhiel Council regarding the events taking place in the Western Kingdom and the disposition of the followers of Dominicus."

"We would not ordinarily interrupt the training of a novice and send them into such potentially dangerous territory... except that this seems to be the will of our Lord Illuminatus. According to Gamble's research, the coin delivered to you by messengers of the Light is an inactive magical portal. It appears to be... created specifically to work with the armor that you wear. Because of your adhiel heritage and the fact that it was delivered to you specifically, we think that you are the one me must send to the adhiel kingdom."

"I will not order you to this duty. The choice must be yours, for there is some risk involved with magical transport, and your proximity to the territory of the Church of Dominicus will mean more danger still. Do you understand what I am asking?"
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban bowed her head to Helen, Gamble, and Ybald in turn as soon as she entered the room. She remained silent as Ybald spoke, her expression becoming more thoughtful as he went on. The young half-elf did not reply immeadiately after he finished, but spent a good few flickers in thought before she spoke.

"Yes, I understand what you ask, Abbot. This is indeed a difficult choice," she said, pausing for a moment before continuing. "I would like a few marks to meditate on this and pray to our Lord for guidance. I apologize for asking you to wait for my decision, but I do not think that I should make this choice in haste." Galliban finished.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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"Very well, Galliban. It is understandable, even wise, that you do not make such a decision in haste. Father Gamble and I will meet you back here after Evening Meal. You may have the intervening time to make up your mind. The time is yours to do with as you please."
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

"I thank you for your patience and understanding, Abbot. If there is nothing else to discuss, I should take my leave," Galliban replied, bowing her head once again after she finished speaking. After doing so, she turned to Gamble.

"Father Gamble," she said, bowing her head to him. Her attention turned then to her mentor. "Lady Helen." she said to her, bowing her head once again in the same manner. The young woman then turned and exited the room.

Galliban wandered the Temple for a few burns as she searched for a quiet place away from the chaos of the current environment that was suitable for meditation and prayer. When she found a spot that she liked, she took a seat and made herself as comfortable as she could.

The achadhiel brought herself to the meditative state that had nearly become second nature to her, returning her mind to her core and letting her energy flow unimpeded. She began to visualize the white marble plaza that she had seen in the Pool of the Oracle and started to pray.

Illuminatus, I give my thanks to You for all that You have bestowed upon me. I pray now to ask something of You once again, but know that I ask only so that I may succeed in my task of serving You. I ask for Your divine guidance, so that I may do Your will. I pray that You should give me insight as to my role in the events to come. What is my duty? If it is Your most holy will that I should travel to Taquar, I shall do so without hesitation, for I am Your loyal servant. Praise be to the Light.
Last edited by Galliban Tyren on Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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It took several burns for Galliban to focus and achieve the desired state of consciousness. Once she did, she found herself surrounded in a cocoon of light. The music that had been the path to the sanctuary of Illuminatus welled up within the young paladin. This time there was no vision of a plaza, and no body to the voice that answered her.

Your duty is to do as your conscience tells you. Look to the answer within yourself. The Order is at a difficult point. Your departure will cause less of an upset to the Balance between factions. Yet it is a dangerous journey that will send you far from all that is familiar to you. The choice is yours to make.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban listened to the reply and was comforted. Though the reply had given her no answer to her question, it was good to know that Illuminatus was listening and that the issue was indeed of importance to the Light One. After the reply came, she spoke again in prayer.

I understand, my Lord. I only hope that my decision shall serve You well. I praise Your wisdom and thank You for imparting it upon me.

With that said, Galliban sank deep into thought as her meditation continued. She might have previously thought that consulting one's conscience would have been an easy task, but it was in fact proving to be quite difficult. Her thoughts were very conflicted on the matter. One part of the half-elf told her that it would be more logical to stay on the Isle and finish her training, but another part of her, perhaps a more philosophically inclined part, told her that Illuminatus would have performed the deeds He had if it had not been His will that she go to Taquar.

Finally, Galliban brought herself out of her meditative trance and opened her eyes. After long debate and much reflection, Galliban had finally made her decision. She would do what she felt she must, and she would go where answers might be found. She was not going to let fear or self-doubt keep her from doing her duty.[/i]
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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The priests and paladins of the Order of Light respected Galliban's wish for solitude. The few who accidentally ventured near her passed quietly so as not to disturb the young paladin's meditation.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

OOC: I'm just going to skip ahead here. If your had something else in mind, I'll edit. By the way, I'm going on vacation tomorrow and I won't be home until the 2nd. I probably won't be able to post until then. I apologize for the inconvenience.

IC:

After finishing her meditation, Galliban went to evening meal. Normally, she would have changed her clothing before going to eat, but it had slipped her mind in the midst of many distractions.

Galliban ate her meal quickly and quietly as usual. After she finished, she went directly back to Gamble's workshop.
Last edited by Galliban Tyren on Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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Ybald and Gamble were there awaiting the young paladin.
Gamble was smiling and greeted her merrily.
"I do think I've figured the whole formula correctly. There should be little to no risk of you getting stuck in the Aether. Our lord is truly an inspiring god!"

Ybald was a bit more solemn.
"Have you had enough time to decide?"
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

Galliban nodded to Gamble, acknowledging his greeting.

"He is indeed." she replied, then turned to Ybald. She nodded to him respectfully also, and did not interrupt him as he spoke.

"Yes, I have, Abbot. I thank you once again for your patience concerning this matter," Galliban replied, then paused and took a breath. The young achadhiel's gaze met the high priest's as always, but the look in her eyes conveyed a greater sense of confidence than they had before. "I was able to consult our Lord during my meditation, and I have carefully considered His counsel. It is my decision that I shall travel to Taquar and do whatever our Order would have me do. I believe that this is where my duty lies now." she said calmly.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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High Priest Ybald looked most solemn as he presented the young paladin with a scroll tube sealed with purple wax.
"This will explain our situation to the Avatar or her representatives on the ruling council. May the light guide your path and keep you safe, young Galliban."

Father Gamble was a bit less formal. In fact he looked rather excited. It was not everyday that he was able to activate a portal using a gift from the hands of the gods themselves.
"This portal can only be used once. After you have gone through, you will be on your own. The Lord Sorcerer will have means of contacting us, but only if absolutely necessary."

He had set up a brazier and several other ritual trappings for the event. The portal also seemed to draw energy from, or at least touch upon, the magick within Galliban's armour, as she felt the breastplate heat up slightly as the disc of light formed before her.
"Good luck."

OOC: When you're ready, please post on the other side.
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Post by Galliban Tyren »

OOC: Done. Thanks for everything, Scy. And don't worry... Galliban most definitely will be back.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
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