Portal travel to Oracle's Isle was apparently impossible; a long journey by ship had been necessary to get here for the young paladin Galliban Tyren.
Her order had been very forthcoming, though, providing her with a vessel to travel to Oracle's Isle directly from the troubled land of T'aquar. Most likely, the high clergy of Illuminatus was all too eager to get a first hand report of what had happened there.
It was a small boat, and it had sails nor rowers. Two priests steered and propelled the ship by divine will, taking turns on a small platform on the bow day and night. At least, that's the explanation the only other passenger, the ship's cook, had given her. In any case, the boat seemed remarkably unhindered by the natural turbulence of oceanic water, as if it was more floating above the waves than breaking them.
Life on the ship had been tranquil and rather comfortable. Galliban had been assigned a small but snug cabin, with a soft bed and an abundance of light visiting through the rice-paper windows during day time. Apart from the occasional conversation with the cook - good at preparing meals but not a great conversion-maker - Galliban had been left to keep herself busy.
It had been only ten days since they had left T'aquar. Sunlight had barely unveiled the day when the white galley neared the Isle. It was a mystery in its own right that she was able to get here by ship - she had never met anybody who had reached the holy place by such mundane means of transport - even if their stowage system was somewhat unusual.
The Isle itself was only visible as a thin, bright-colored ribbon on the horizon. Beautiful as it were, the enormous gate in front of the ship was more eye-catching. The two composing parts must have been at least twenty-five feet high. They were made of light wood, seemingly untreated with varnish or oils, but nevertheless untouched by the silt water of the sea and its inhabitants. Silver-colored metalwork served to keep the huge doors firmly attached to the hinges, but had been forged into graceful arabesques covering large portions of the wood as to please the eyes as well. Sun rays were reflected by the rippling sea, only to get caught up in a dazzling dance across the geometrical and floral patterns on the door.
Two remarkably slender towers enclosed the gate, their design equally elegant and awe-inspiring . Their pointy, small roofs were made of the same wood as the doors, and covered in the same silver work.
There was no obvious reason why one wouldn't simply sail around the gate; there was no wall encircling the home of the Oracle. Nevertheless, the boat lay still there for a burn or ten. Then, the two doors gradually opened outward, granting the vessel passage. Another ten burns later, the galley was washed ashore on a familiar beach. The cook went through the trouble of getting a small gang-board. It was hardly utile considering the limited height of the ship. With a friendly nod, the silent priest on duty bade her farewell.
An adhiel in familiar attire stood waiting for her. His staff and robes clearly belonged to High Priest Ybald, but he himself was clearly too young to be the High Priest himself. As he approached, she could recognize his light blue eyes and deceivingly youthful face. He was rather tall for an adhiel too. She had seen this priest before in services.
"Welcome home, paladin," he said. "You return in trying times, sister. Ybald has left us to rejoin the light. He hasn't suffered physical pain, but it clearly did hurt him to leave us now. He was old." Athil's eyes reflected the great loss he felt, while he kept quiet for a few flickers. "I have been appointed successor. I am Athil." He offered a hand shake.
"I hope your journey has not drained you too much. Shall we walk to the temple? You can tell me about what has happened on the way."
Return to a Home Changed - Galliban Tyren, Chyril 22nd MT
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Return to a Home Changed - Galliban Tyren, Chyril 22nd MT
Last edited by Finodborn on Sat May 12, 2007 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Verum et factum convertuntur.
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Galliban Tyren
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- Posts: 436
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Oracle's Isle
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It had taken Galliban a day or so to get used to the feel of the ship. She was used to being in open spaces and the ship felt a little cramped at first. However, the remarkable ease with which the ship moved meant no need for "sea legs" and no opportunity for sea-sickness. She rather enjoyed the journey in a way. She went topside whenever possible to breathe in the refreshing sea air, and enjoyed observing the stars at night. For the most part though, she spent her time in her cabin. She did sit-ups and push-ups to pass the time and practiced meditation often. That made the journey seem even shorter than it was.
Comfortable as the trip was for a ship, Galliban was when the Isle finally came into the view. She observed their approach with an intense interest. She had not really noticed the gates when she had been there last. She surmised that there must be some form of invisible magical barrier around the Isle through which one could gain passage through the great gates. As the ship approached the beach, Galliban went back to her cabin to gather her things. She did not have much, only a bag containing her armor and her swords, which she had wrapped in cloth and bundled and tied together for ease of transport. She soon felt the ship run ashore. She said goodbye to the cook before departing. As she walked down the gang-board, she returned the priest's nod of farewell.
The adhiel who awaited Galliban on the beach looked familiar to her, though she either did not know his name or did not remember it. He looked young, but she knew that because he was an adhiel this did not necessarily mean that he was young. He was wearing the robes of the High Priest, which must have meant that something had happened to Ybald. The young paladin's heart sank. She received the adhiel's greeting cordially, however, and it did not surprise her whe he told her that Ybald had died.
"This news saddens me. I knew him for only a short time, but he was very kind and helpful to me. I shall grieve for his loss in my heart, though I am sure that his soul is at peace in the Light," she replied. When Athil introduced himself, she put down her bag and received his hand. "I am glad to meet you, sir." she said to him. She picked up her bag again and began to walk alongside Athil.
"There is much to tell of Taquar, and none of it is good. It was not long after I arrived in Taloh and began my investigation into the odd occurences in the forests that the evil there began to spread. It was the work of a rogue Shaper named Borne, who had joined forces with a demoness named Blayvanna, a foul creature of considerable power. I had the misfortune to come into contact with her in the forests of Taquar. She killed one of my companions and would have killed me if not for the grace of the Light One.
"I returned to the city of Taloh after that. Blayvanna summoned an army of her demon kin and attacked the city during the night. Much of Taloh was burned and many people killed, though I did my best to help save as many as I could. After I had reached the Temple of the Mother with a group of survivors, I went with a group of others to fight Borne, who had stationed himself atop the Temple. It was a terrible battle, and everyone involved was either wounded or killed. However, by the magical power of others, the attack was halted.
"As I said, I was wounded and I awoke the next day in a bed among other wounded. The priest who had tended to me during the night said that my recovery had been miraculous. That day, I attended the mass funeral for those who had been killed in the attack. Blayvanna did not wish the dead to rest in peace, though. She entered the city once again and raised the souls of the dead. Those left in the city had to be evacuated. I went with them all to Kes'Levy, a port city. We were pursued by orcs and had to fight them off.
"Not long after we arrived in the city, I consulted the Avatar of the Mother and at her behest departed with a companion with whom I had fought in Taloh, as well as a guide, to seek out a relic to be used to stop Blayvanna. Our journey was cut short when we met others, some of whom I knew, in the forest and we were attacked by a great wolf beast. We attempted to calm the creature, who had originally been an adhiel. By some magical trickery, this course of events was interrupted. I know not what happened to all the others. I was transported to the Aether, to the realm of the Mad God Dominicus himself. I did meet one other who had disappeared in the forest, but that is all I care to recall from that horrible experience. In any case, I was eventually returned to Taquar. The situation there is dire, but there was little I could do at the time and I felt that it would be best if I returned to the Isle.
"My pride has made it difficult for me to admit this, but my mind and soul long for repose. I have done my best for Illuminatus. I have fought hard and seen things so terrible that I could never have imagined them before. I am tired, may the Light One forgive me."
Comfortable as the trip was for a ship, Galliban was when the Isle finally came into the view. She observed their approach with an intense interest. She had not really noticed the gates when she had been there last. She surmised that there must be some form of invisible magical barrier around the Isle through which one could gain passage through the great gates. As the ship approached the beach, Galliban went back to her cabin to gather her things. She did not have much, only a bag containing her armor and her swords, which she had wrapped in cloth and bundled and tied together for ease of transport. She soon felt the ship run ashore. She said goodbye to the cook before departing. As she walked down the gang-board, she returned the priest's nod of farewell.
The adhiel who awaited Galliban on the beach looked familiar to her, though she either did not know his name or did not remember it. He looked young, but she knew that because he was an adhiel this did not necessarily mean that he was young. He was wearing the robes of the High Priest, which must have meant that something had happened to Ybald. The young paladin's heart sank. She received the adhiel's greeting cordially, however, and it did not surprise her whe he told her that Ybald had died.
"This news saddens me. I knew him for only a short time, but he was very kind and helpful to me. I shall grieve for his loss in my heart, though I am sure that his soul is at peace in the Light," she replied. When Athil introduced himself, she put down her bag and received his hand. "I am glad to meet you, sir." she said to him. She picked up her bag again and began to walk alongside Athil.
"There is much to tell of Taquar, and none of it is good. It was not long after I arrived in Taloh and began my investigation into the odd occurences in the forests that the evil there began to spread. It was the work of a rogue Shaper named Borne, who had joined forces with a demoness named Blayvanna, a foul creature of considerable power. I had the misfortune to come into contact with her in the forests of Taquar. She killed one of my companions and would have killed me if not for the grace of the Light One.
"I returned to the city of Taloh after that. Blayvanna summoned an army of her demon kin and attacked the city during the night. Much of Taloh was burned and many people killed, though I did my best to help save as many as I could. After I had reached the Temple of the Mother with a group of survivors, I went with a group of others to fight Borne, who had stationed himself atop the Temple. It was a terrible battle, and everyone involved was either wounded or killed. However, by the magical power of others, the attack was halted.
"As I said, I was wounded and I awoke the next day in a bed among other wounded. The priest who had tended to me during the night said that my recovery had been miraculous. That day, I attended the mass funeral for those who had been killed in the attack. Blayvanna did not wish the dead to rest in peace, though. She entered the city once again and raised the souls of the dead. Those left in the city had to be evacuated. I went with them all to Kes'Levy, a port city. We were pursued by orcs and had to fight them off.
"Not long after we arrived in the city, I consulted the Avatar of the Mother and at her behest departed with a companion with whom I had fought in Taloh, as well as a guide, to seek out a relic to be used to stop Blayvanna. Our journey was cut short when we met others, some of whom I knew, in the forest and we were attacked by a great wolf beast. We attempted to calm the creature, who had originally been an adhiel. By some magical trickery, this course of events was interrupted. I know not what happened to all the others. I was transported to the Aether, to the realm of the Mad God Dominicus himself. I did meet one other who had disappeared in the forest, but that is all I care to recall from that horrible experience. In any case, I was eventually returned to Taquar. The situation there is dire, but there was little I could do at the time and I felt that it would be best if I returned to the Isle.
"My pride has made it difficult for me to admit this, but my mind and soul long for repose. I have done my best for Illuminatus. I have fought hard and seen things so terrible that I could never have imagined them before. I am tired, may the Light One forgive me."
Last edited by Galliban Tyren on Sun May 13, 2007 6:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain
The new High Priest seemed rather unmoved by Galliban's tale, his overall expression being stoic. He listened attentively, and waited for several flickers after Galliban had finished before replying.
It seemed as if rain was on its way, the cold wind accumulating strength and at the same time hotly scratching their cheeks with white beach sand. The pair reached the end of the beach, their feet finding an elegant cobbled road that led to the centre.
"You are wise to seek rest after such a trial. An exhausted servant can't serve, and nobody will hold it against you. The efforts of the Order to fight back the Nether incursions have been substantial, and things seem to settle down, even though the price has been high. The Oracle itself seems not to work anymore as it should. This is a time of contemplation and healing for all. Many cults have been calling back clerics; you will find that the Isle is rather crowdy these days.
But we can talk more about this when we arrive at the temple itself.
How do you seek to spend your days here, Galliban?"
It seemed as if rain was on its way, the cold wind accumulating strength and at the same time hotly scratching their cheeks with white beach sand. The pair reached the end of the beach, their feet finding an elegant cobbled road that led to the centre.
"You are wise to seek rest after such a trial. An exhausted servant can't serve, and nobody will hold it against you. The efforts of the Order to fight back the Nether incursions have been substantial, and things seem to settle down, even though the price has been high. The Oracle itself seems not to work anymore as it should. This is a time of contemplation and healing for all. Many cults have been calling back clerics; you will find that the Isle is rather crowdy these days.
But we can talk more about this when we arrive at the temple itself.
How do you seek to spend your days here, Galliban?"
Verum et factum convertuntur.
Avatar by the Artist Currently Known as Eira.
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Galliban Tyren
- Tazlure Supporter
- Posts: 436
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Oracle's Isle
- Contact:
Galliban looked up at the sky briefly to examine the clouds. She was glad that it was not raining yet. She despised the feel of wet sand. She inclined her head slightly when the wind blew in order to prevent sand from getting into her eyes.
Galliban remained quiet for a moment or so after Athil asked his question. The silence only caused the sound of their feet meeting the cobblestone path to be noticeable to her.
"My time in Taquar taught me that a lack of knowledge and ability can cost lives. There were times when, for all my will to solve a problem or win a fight, I could not for lack of ability. I want to train further, not only in martial and magical skills, but to further my knowledge. My last stay on the Isle did not afford me much time to learn the rituals and history of Illuminatus. If I am to be a true representative of the Light One in the world, I should have this knowledge. I also hope that my time here will clear my mind and open me up to insights, so that I may learn what Illuminatus wishes of me."
Galliban remained quiet for a moment or so after Athil asked his question. The silence only caused the sound of their feet meeting the cobblestone path to be noticeable to her.
"My time in Taquar taught me that a lack of knowledge and ability can cost lives. There were times when, for all my will to solve a problem or win a fight, I could not for lack of ability. I want to train further, not only in martial and magical skills, but to further my knowledge. My last stay on the Isle did not afford me much time to learn the rituals and history of Illuminatus. If I am to be a true representative of the Light One in the world, I should have this knowledge. I also hope that my time here will clear my mind and open me up to insights, so that I may learn what Illuminatus wishes of me."
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear."- Mark Twain