Skatha

Skatha feels a spike of great pain, wincing, she laid a small hand over the ache in her heart...........

"The raven," she whispered, "it was a tragic mistake. I fear the black riders may be influencing my decisions. I have failed at each thing i have attempted these past few days."

Ignoring all else, she packs for a trip through the Wisp Dungeon.

__________________
Haterade: A trace vitamin that restores your ability to continue hating long after most people would give it up.

Miacus

He had reached the pool shortly before dawn, after a round about way to avoid the pixies. Dismounting he kneeled down before the pool, a touch of his hand to the water while words spoken softly. "Tell me where is Eowyna" the pool showed her course back to the dangerous lands of Felucia, "Why did she return there I wonder?, show me Skatha and her Justicars" Here was something, a glance at the note, "Wisps dungeon is it?, that is where I will head, perhaps I may be of some help with the creatures riddles". Flick of water and the image vanishes.

He turned from the pools and mounted his steed. He turned to the lands of Humility in Ilsh and the wisp dungeon.

Eowyna Rohanna

POSTED FOR ANNWFN GWYDDEN:

"A small number of Justicars assembled under the command of Skatha, in an attempt to decipher the puzzles of the the wisp maze before the Black Riders arrived and gleaned the knowledge for themselves. We spent many hours wandering through the starry maze, finally arriving at our destination. However all our efforts were in vain, for the Riders had been there before us, the wisp was silent, the knowledge was lost to us.

Two of us proceeded to follow the next lead sent to us in the message from Eowyna. We made our way to the Fan Dancer Dojo in the Tokuna Isles, ever hopeful to make contact with the enslaved demon. Deeper and deeper into the depths of the dungeon we rode, past deamons and succubi. But the Seldarine were not with us this day, for when we arrived at the lowest point of the dungeon, we found the cell of the demon abandoned. Once again, we had let the Black Riders steal a march on us.

It is time, perhaps, for the Justicars to retreat to the Temple and make an offering to the Seldarine, for we seem to have lost their favor. I myself will offer a prayer to the great archer, Solonor." --Annwfn Gwydden

Miacus

It appeared he had arrived to late to the dungeon to be of any use. The Justicars had been here and gone, as well as those riders. "I will head back to the enclave and await them there perhaps they will allow this dark one into thier company for the next hunt" He pulled the hood of his shroud low as he turned and galloped back to the moongate and Zento.


He seated himself in the enclave tavern and awaited the fall of hooves sounding the justicars return.

Maddux

Eowyna Rohanna

Eowyna sheltered at the old keep near Trinsic, Fel, for several days. She rode the unicorn far afield each day searching for signs of Maddux's passing. However, her tracking skills were not particularly good and his stealthing skills were excellent, so she wasn't sure what she expected to find. But somehow she thought she would know...but nothing came to her. In fact, she met no one on the road, other than a band of murders, who seemed disinclined to discuss the whereabouts of a wounded elf.

At first there was no sign of the black riders, but by the second day they had found her again. Her forays into the forest were more curtailed after that. She attempted several times to peer into the waters of a still pool when she happened across one, but she was blessed with no visions. This she realized would get her no where. She couldn't find him here.

She sent a pidgeon to Skatha to inquire about the progress of the quest she, herself, had abandoned (at least temporarily), another to Ann checking on the state of affairs in the Enclave, and a third to Miacus, whose quest was finished by now, and who might have learned something further about the Drow. She couldn't help feeling discouraged; she'd been so sure she could trace him from here.

So she needed to return to a place where she had natural power. Somewhere where she could use her own skills. The wolves in this place were silent; they did not speak to her. The pools were still; their waters did not show her things. She cast a gate, and stepped through.

Skatha

Skatha slowly climbed the many steps of the temple, she wore a simple gown, no adornments on her body or in her hair, shoeless; she carried no weapons, no food, no water. She knelt, then moved into the classic position of meditation; her legs crossed, her hands resting, palms up, on her legs. Her recent choices had not been good. All seemed to lead to a dead end. Seeking wisdom and peace, an end to the struggles, she began to meditate.

Closing out the world surrounding her, she easily slipped into a trance, opening her mind to whatever might choose to enter there. Minutes passed, becoming hours. Time ceased, she became aware of the presence of her gods, comforting, nurturing, she felt stronger, becoming one with their essence. Total peace.

Screams, intense heat, discord, visions of violence shattered the peace as evil flowed into the open mind, so at peace less than a breath before, now engulfed in fear and terror. The essence of the gods and of evil struggled now for control.

Others may have come and gone in the temple, there may have been storms of cataclysmic proportions, it mattered not, for she was aware of nothing except that there was a battle for her soul, one over which she had no control.

No muscle twitched, no eye blinked, no clue was visible to others -- she retained the countenance of one at peace.

How long she sat thusly she had no idea, slowly she became aware of the whisper of the chimes as the wind moved through them, aware of gentle raindrops, and an overwhelming feeling of being at one with the universe. Calmly she walked through the rain, wondering at the warmth of the water on her bare feet as she walked through the puddles, aware of the warm rain that dampened her hair and robe.

She would be guided now, as she attempted to fulfill her duties, bringing strength and wisdom to the Justicars.

Peace...................

Miacus

He had sat in that tavern for what seemed days without a sound of this enclaves Justicars. A frown crossed that pale elven face "Where could they be? My own quest told me nothing about these riders, She only told me vengence and that is all I feel" shake of his head "but vengence towards whom I dont know. I must find Eowyna or Skatha to see what they might have found out in this wisp dungeon. Hood once again pulled up over his head as he walked out to his steed "ahh glorious rain wash away the day's troubles" he spoke softly to himself.


He mounted that dark steed he aquired, obviously sent to him by his goddess along with the dark cloak, he rubbed his sword hand briefly before taking the reins and with a Kal Ort Por he vanished to his temporary home and his mirror.


He pulled off his gloves as he entered and tossed them next to the mongbat dartboard as he step on the house porter to his room. He gazed into the mirror "Kiaransalee, Jous ussa vel'bol Usstan lac" He rubbed that same hand as he watched the fog lift from the mirror showing Skatha leaving the temple then fades to a pixie. He stopped the vision without knowing, his hand hot with searing pain. He glanced down at that hand and saw it there for the first time. "Vel'bol zhah nindol? Zhah nindol lu'oh dos ssinssrin a nar'hethi quarval-sharess?" slow nod as he began to understand "nindol zhah ele dos doerrus ulu ussa, as you wish" he turned from the mirror and went back down to the bottom floor, he quickly pulled on this gloves to cover his hand from sight. "Ulnin ussta quarval-sharess, jhal naut nin"

Eowyna Rohanna

POSTED FOR ANNWYN GWYDDEN:

"I arrived at the Tavern with every hope of a quiet evening. In the absence of Maddux and Eowyna, the Justicars under the command of Skatha, were keeping an eye on the well-being of the Enclave. I'd just finished riding a circuit, thinking as I went about the next step to be revealed in the quest for Armageddon. A bit of quiet relaxation seemed in order. And here, I found Miacus, recently returned from his Temple Quest.

He seemed a bit different to me, although our association has not been of long-standing. I resisted a little instinctive urge to reach for my bow. Instead I sent Amar off to tell Skatha that Miacus had returned.
I greeted him, and we set about talking of the affair of the black riders. This Dark Warlock told me that he had discovered that these riders were Drow and in fact were renegade priests of his goddess--the radiant diamond being the mark of her priesthood. He said they had no particular magical skill, which explains why Eowyna can use magic to hide from them, but that their tracking skills are beyond compare. He seemed to be open and honest about his findings. Still, that uneasy feeling stayed with me. But Eowyna trusts him so, who am I to question.

Skatha arrived. I could tell that the added responsibility of late wore heavily upon her. She seemed troubled, and reluctant, as I was to trust the Dark One. But she handled the situation masterfully, down to asking Miacus where his loyalty would lie, should his goddess command him at odds with the Enclave. His answer--that he was loyal, but his goddess must be first--seemed to please her well. She even upbraided me for speaking ill of Eowyna--and her propensity to relenquish responsibility to seek her lover. I understand the need to be loyal, and hope that I am, but I still believe Eowyna to be irresponsible. I'll just keep it to myself next time.

It was then that the Dark Warlock revealed his hand to us--and there we beheld the mark!--the radiant diamond. He is one of them! I could not help arming my bow at this point. In fact, I still don't know what to think about this. My commander tells me to obey, and I will. But this Dark One, I will certainly keep an eye on."
--------Ann, Justicar

Skatha

Upon receiving the message from Ann, I immediately set out for the Pub. Upon arrival, i was delighted to see Miacus, recently returned from his quest, and offered Congratulations.

His attitude was less than coridal though; and there was an immediate clash of personalities. The drow, Miacus, seemed to take great delight in making marginally acceptable comments, which he often phrased as challenges and/or threats. It was necessary on more than one occasion to ask Ann to stand by and take no actions against him.

*This one needs watching, Ann," I said, "I shall entrust that to you."
She readily accepted the task, and i am certain will do an excellent job.

Due to the absence of Maddux and Eowyna, I assumed the authority of management of the enclave, and would gladly have shared that with the Warlord had he been available... but alas, he was not. So things became quite tense when the Drow informed me that i had no authority over him. Perhaps the chain of command needs to be made clear in case of future conflicts. I tried to be careful in phrasing my conversation with him, and it was truly a challenge. He appeared to thirst for conflict.

Miacus said there were actually four renegade black riders, not the two or three that we had suspected, and that his Goddess wished to take vengence upon them. He has a Drow friend that he is contacting who may be able to assist him, perhaps shed a bit more light on the situation.

Miacus immediately sent the spirit of his raven to another, a drow, he said, who would be able to assist him. He would not reveal thename of his friend in order that i would not gain control of him. Little does he realize that i have no ambition to control anyone. 'Tis not my style.

We wait now for word....... we have a black rider amongst us, his Goddess awarded him this rank.

and Eowyan and Maddux? No word from either this day.