"That might not be a bad idea." Beranhond said looking at Nym; however, by the time he had turned around Talathel was already gone.
"Perhaps in the morning? I think it might be best to enjoy the rest of this party and to calm down the crowd. Plus, there is plenty of beverage and food remaining."
Beranhond turned and called towards the city guards who had hidden in the crowd during the fight.
"Guards, come assist in carrying your fallen brethren; honor their bravery and reflect on your shame." He tried to disguise the disgust he had - Baldur's Gate had been through a lot in the last month, but there was no excuse for failing to do your job. As they came close he knelt down and checked their pulse. Feeling none he closed the eye lids and said the few words he had memorized for death.
"In hopes that your life had full of promise, and that your death filled with peace. I send you off to the embrace of the God of your choosing." When he finished his compatriots picked up his body and carried it away. Sanitation workers took a hold of the bodies of the crew and carried them off. To where, Beranhond did not want to know.
He went and rejoined the crowd, which had started picking up some of its old noise and sound. These were a hardy people, having survived the devastation of the Tsunami, and even a conflict on the river couldn't shake their love of partying. He grabbed a seat and took some juice, in moments his pals Scriptus and Codex ran up to him.
"Holy Beranhond? we have a favor to ask you."
"Don't call me holy guys... please, just Beranhond, and of course, whatever I can do."
"Well," Scriptus started to say. "We were thinking alot during that battle, and we decided that the time is right."
"The time?" Beranhond looked down and noticed that they were wearing matching rings. "You are engaged? Congratulations!"
"We were hoping you would conduct the wedding..." They looked at him nervously.
"But of course friends! It would be a great honor." He said smiling broadly at them. They spent the next ten minutes talking over some details before the two ran off. He sat back down, hoping for a few minutes of quiet to relax.
He watched as the dancing continued, and started thinking back on the weirdness of the day when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He set his drink down and turned around. Before him stood Narath, but unlike before, she wasn't beaming, glowing, or dressed strangely. She must have taken a look at mortal fashion before heading on down to Earth.
"Would you dance with me?"
Beranhond swallowed, hoping his boots of acrobatics would help him dance. "Of course... do Goddesses know how to dance well?" He got to his feet and put out his hand.
"Oh exceedingly, but I won't judge you." She said smiling, sliding her hand into his.
They moved out onto the dance area, and the minstrels changed songs mid-tune from a Gavotte to an air. As he put his arms around to the small of her back, and took her hand in his, he took a deep breath and hoped that little amount of dancing he knew would come back to him:
Acrobatics:
Roll(1d20)+0:14,+0Total:14
As they danced around, he smiled and looked at her eyes. There was always a depth to them that was unnerving, plus they changed colors, which was also unnerving. However, he felt comfortable, and started smiling as the dancing became easier.
"Do you still care for her?" She said looking at him quizzically. He smiled, and spoke truthfully
"That was long ago, and though I loved her once - she and I could never have worked out." He paused speaking, then started again "I will always care for her for what she was, and for the feelings I once had. But now she is simply a good friend who I have long since lost." His heart fluttered, "my feelings have moved onto another."
She seemed satisfied momentarily and leaned her head against his shoulder. At the end of the song she pulled of his shoulder, put her arms around his head and pulled his lips towards hers. As they touched his arms went around hers, pulling him into her. The sounds of the world faded away from around them for an eternity, before she let go, and took his hands in hers and led him quickly off the dance floor and towards a more private section of the party. Once there she pulled him down to her again and greedily kissed him.
"Eth... I know this is going to kill the mood, but I must go now."
He swallowed "of course..." but before he could answer, she kissed him again. Her hands moved through his hair, while he put his hands on her hips and pulled her into him.
After a moment, she let go, and said "keep your face shaven, and make sure to keep an eye on any oddities..."
"Of course." With that she smiled, and stepped backwards, and then with a bright flash disappeared.
Beranhond went back to the party and found an empty seat and sat there. The festivities continuing around him.
Showing posts with label Love Moments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love Moments. Show all posts
Friday, January 15, 2010
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Ah, more divine pleasantries (with some post-email editing)
He grabbed the pile of clothing and used it to put out the fire on the table. Once the fire was out he gathered all the papers and books that he could. When he turned around he noticed that Thjodolf was not doing well... and neither was Nym. He moved close to Thjodolf and called the others over.
"I am about to do something... a little different. Make sure to be touching me." They reached out their hands, forming an awkward circle around him and Thjodolf's body.
"Here we go." He said and raised his shield.
Closing his eyes.
"Eth!" She stood up, walked over and hugged him. "You shaved." She said smiling as she released him.
"Hi, Narath, yes, I always follow the commandments of my God." He smiled back, holding her hands. He couldn't help smiling at the pleasantries, but now was not a time for idle talk. "I screwed up in the sewer and accidentally set a trap." He said looking into her now dark red hair.
"No time is passing there and they shall be healed when you return. But, I needed to warn you." She turned and moved to the map, Beranhond following.
Narath's brow furrowed. "Eth..." she said looking amusingly concerned. Beranhond blushed. "You were thinking of her..."
"Go do my will, and do say hi to your friends." She blew him a kiss. He awkwardly waved and soared back through the air.
He was back in his body, his shield in his hand, but a map in his hand. He shook his head side to side. Flying through the air to visit Narath always made his stomach rumble.
"Here we go." He raised his shield, smiled at everyone, felt it turn blue. Don't ask why, but Narath's power always felt blue to Beranhond. The feeling in the shield turned to light and then spread down from his shield into his hands, through his body, and then to all of the others. From there, the light flared into the room, growing more and more powerful until it seemed a blinding singularity. It held for a second before fading and leaving everyone healed by:
Cure Light Wounds:
Roll(1d8)+2:
7,+2
Total:9
"Oh, and Narath says hi." Beranhond said awkwardly lowering his shield and holding up the map.
"I am about to do something... a little different. Make sure to be touching me." They reached out their hands, forming an awkward circle around him and Thjodolf's body.
"Here we go." He said and raised his shield.
Closing his eyes.
Narath?
Yes....
His mind snapped out of his body and soared through the air. When it resettled, and calmed, he was seated on a cloud. Stretching out his hands, the skin felt new, refreshed. The wounds were closed and cleaned and he was clad in a long sheet like material that was wrapped around him leaving his shoulders and legs uncovered. Looking up he saw Narath spread out on the floor in front of him, staring at a map. Her mortarboard and leather boots were gone and she was now wearing what Beranhond could only describe as a burlap sack. "Eth!" She stood up, walked over and hugged him. "You shaved." She said smiling as she released him.
"Hi, Narath, yes, I always follow the commandments of my God." He smiled back, holding her hands. He couldn't help smiling at the pleasantries, but now was not a time for idle talk. "I screwed up in the sewer and accidentally set a trap." He said looking into her now dark red hair.
"I know. It happens. It was a sneaky spell. But, I brought you hear for another reason. I also needed to talk to you."
"But... the others..." He said worried about their pain and the damage the flame had caused."No time is passing there and they shall be healed when you return. But, I needed to warn you." She turned and moved to the map, Beranhond following.
"Remember the warning I gave you in your travel log?"
"Yes, about some kind of movements of a dark God?" He had read the journal profusely while on the boat, but it had been some time since he had looked into it.
"Yes... I fear time is growing short, something major is going to happen soon, and I want you to keep an eye out."
"I have been my lo... Goddess." He said smiling at her, catching himself, Narath had a habit of making him slip his tongue. Was I about to say 'my love?'"Yes, but I wanted to let you know that I think some of the Paladin's of Torm might be involved."
"Paladins?" Ceilith... is this where she was sent?Narath's brow furrowed. "Eth..." she said looking amusingly concerned. Beranhond blushed. "You were thinking of her..."
"No, well, yes, but not in the way I think about you, I mean... not in the way I used to. I mean, used to think about her." He blushed and smiled at her. She smiled back.
"Good." She said as she leaned forward and kiss him on the forehead. "I wanted you to prepare your thoughts, and take this map of the region." She said handing him the map, before leaning in, nearly kissing him before she moved her lips to his cheek and giving him a hug instead. He stepped back, stunned as always."Go do my will, and do say hi to your friends." She blew him a kiss. He awkwardly waved and soared back through the air.
He was back in his body, his shield in his hand, but a map in his hand. He shook his head side to side. Flying through the air to visit Narath always made his stomach rumble.
"Here we go." He raised his shield, smiled at everyone, felt it turn blue. Don't ask why, but Narath's power always felt blue to Beranhond. The feeling in the shield turned to light and then spread down from his shield into his hands, through his body, and then to all of the others. From there, the light flared into the room, growing more and more powerful until it seemed a blinding singularity. It held for a second before fading and leaving everyone healed by:
Cure Light Wounds:
Roll(1d8)+2:
7,+2
Total:9
"Oh, and Narath says hi." Beranhond said awkwardly lowering his shield and holding up the map.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ah, the memories
"A republic is an idea of government, one that Torm doesn't like very much..." Beranhond said, sounding somewhat bitter. "The important idea is that we should govern our own action, find our own way, and seek to move away from suspicion. Death is natural, but, what causes death isn't always." He was definitely channel comparative religion now.
"What I, and my Goddess seeks, are answers, questions, about what meaning is, and how to find meaning in existence." He paused, remembering Narath's smell finally. He glazed over
"What I, and my Goddess seeks, are answers, questions, about what meaning is, and how to find meaning in existence." He paused, remembering Narath's smell finally. He glazed over
Friday, October 16, 2009
Remember those walls I built? Well, they are tumbling down...
I wonder, should I take the darker more foreboding tunnel with ominous shapes, or the brighter lit tunnel that doesn't seem so sinister? Beranhond stopped with a start. Oh no, I am still talking to myself aren't I?
"What do you think?" He whispers to his cat.
"I am wondering what we are doing down here in the first place." Tigrisclawu whispers back. "Did you decide that you couldn't resist going into a hole in the ground? Were you thinking 'oh, look! A hole in the ground, I need to go down there! Oh, I am a cleric of Narath, I don't need any backup or muscle or magic. If I get into any problems I will just stab it!"
"Well, kinda." But, now that he thought about it more he wasn't sure what he was doing in this hole in the first place. "Things need exploring and questions need answering."
"Don't forget that souls need saving."
"I am not in the business of saving souls, at least not until I am sure when or how a soul would need saving, that is why Narath is having me explore a bit before I announce her presence."
"You mean until you become a lame-o prophet."
"Well, kinda. When you say it like that it makes me sound kinda lame"
"Ethelred Beranhond, first prophet of the Great Goddess Narath!" Tigrisclawu sits back on his feet, licks paw and stops. "Oh yeah, it does makes you sound much cooler than you are. You should introduce yourself that way."
"Why yes, yes it does, and no I am not going to introduce myself. When I mention her most people laugh or accuse me of heresy. That is besides the point - she did come to me to be her first prophet, so I am still cool."
"Yes, so why aren't you professing her word?"
"Because, I am supposed to be... why are we talking about this now, we argued about this the whole way across the sea of falling stars!"
"You brought it up."
"No... you did, you mentioned the souls needing saving."
"Well, they do need saving!"
Off in the distance Beranhond thought he heard voices. Remembering where he was he stopped talking and slipped back into the shadows and tried to be secretive. Of course, being a cleric, he isn't really trained in sneakiness. He is trained in loudly announcing his presence and smiting the unbelievers. Or, at least in asking them questions about their faith and how they derive meaning from life. More on that later.
Looking around he was concerned that the whole area seemed to be brighter. Looking down he noticed a bright light was starting to shine off of Tigrisclawu's collar. Oh great...
"Tigrisclawu... I told you to turn off your light orb."
"I didn't turn it on." He pushed his paw up, but it didn't shut off. The light grew larger and started to take form. In a moment Narath, in all her glory, appeared from the light and stood before Beranhond. Her long hair shimmered in a multitude of hues, seemingly both black, brown, auburn, and red all at once. Her skin radiated and settled on a glowing shade. A knee length gown of an unearthly silvers showed brightly and on her feet were brown, pointed, leather boots (yes, Narath wears cowboy boots). Slung across her back was an immense shield and at her waist was a large horn. On her head she wore a four cornered mortarboard with a golden tassel. Beranhond often thought that for any other person such an outfit would look ridiculous. But for Narath it was perfect.
"Eth, my prophet... do not be afraid in this dark place." She said in the soothing tones that she always used to pacify Beranhond. She used nicknames with him and unlike anyone else, Beranhond gave no complaint at the usage.
"Thank you my Goddess. Your presence is a comfort in the dark places of the earth." Beranhond whispered. He was trying to sound respectful, though his voice retained the awe he always felt when greeted with her presence. Mustering all his confidence he proceeded, "you know that seeing your face lifts my heart more than I could explain, and that no word I could ever use would be worthy of your presence... but, now is not the best time."
At this statement she looked around, causing the oddly shaped shield to give a metal jingle and the tassel on her mortarboard lightly hitting Beranhond in the face as she spun. Looking back she noticed his efforts to be secretive, and the setting in which the conversation had been taking place. She gave him a wink as sheo carefully lifted her boots out of the urine/salt water mix.
"Indeed it is not, forgive me. I am still getting used to these divine powers and when/how to pay attention to my prophet." She whispered as she put her hands on her hips with a look toward Beranhond that can only be described, and not very well at that, as an odd mixture of the smitten adoration of a first love and the omnipotent power of a world spanning Goddess.
Beranhond smiled at her, before she leaned forward and somewhat awkwardly kissed Beranhond's forehead. Her hands moved as part of the same motion in order to touch his unshaven cheeks and to adjust the hair out of his face. Beranhond's sword and shield and shield hit the ground and his hands, on their own accord, moved briefly upward. They stopped after only an inch of travel when she moved down so that their eyes, and lips, were level.
Taking a deep breath she started speaking words that were half planned from the day of her creation and half the ramblings of a Goddess who suddenly lacks a vocabulary. "My days are bright because of you Eth... you are my light as much as I am yours and it it might not make any sense to you, but I have been trying to say this forever and everytime I tried before, it just came across as all unnatural and now I am rambling and you probably think I am crazy... I just wanted to say that I...
She paused for a moment, took a deep breath and with a tone of forced calmness said, "care very deeply for you and that I fear this quest to find the message that you will share with the world isn't fully fair on my part." She looked down to his hands and moved her fingers on his face. "The stories always have us bringing a message of great truth, but I think you know now that the message we send to the world is only as strong as the faith of our believers. Fortunately for me, I know you will find the right message to heal this world in its current times of trouble and the troubles that will soon follow." Her lips moved and for a moment it seemed that she was going to kiss Beranhond's lips. Breathlessly and nearly silently, her lips inches from his she said words meant only for him. "Go with my love Ethelred Beranhond first prophet and saviour, know it is always there. I know in my mind and heart that you will be visiting places I cannot go and many times I will be unable to manifest such as this, but I will try to come when you call and I will be within you as long as you carry my love and my light with me." The tension filling the space between them was palpable. His hands had stopped moving, but his heartbeat sped up. The warmth of her hands sent a trickle of sweat down his back. They stood, eyes locked, for what seemed an infinite amount of time. Which, considering her divine powers, it could have been. Finally, she stepped back, pulled her hands away from his face and said somewhat anticlimactically, "Though, in a few words of advice... I wouldn't go much further in here. Second, you should get a shave... and a helmet my beloved... prophet."
Beranhond realized that his hands had reached out to her as she pulled away. When he finally stopped he continued to stand awkwardly. Trying to look nonchalant, he slowly lowered his hands to the ground and picked up his sword and shield that had fallen during the visit of Narath. His eyes drifted downward for a moment before he looked up and adjusted his shield to cover below his belt. Tigrisclawu gave him a quizzical look.
"Well, that is something a cat doesn't see everyday."
"What do you mean." Beranhond clearly had returned to his usual state of self-denial, or denseness. Tigrisclawu just shook his head.
"When your books of prophecy or the messages of Narath are written..."
"Yes?"
"Don't include any account of what just happened."
Beranhond simply nods.
"And Beranhond?"
"Yes?"
"When you are ready, your shield should probably be up a little higher..."
Well, I don't know what to think of all that. But his mind was still thinking of her face, her touch, and her oddly eccentric fashion. Beranhond was glazing over when he almost failed to notice...
Perception:
Roll(1d20)+4:
5,+4
Total:9
"What do you think?" He whispers to his cat.
"I am wondering what we are doing down here in the first place." Tigrisclawu whispers back. "Did you decide that you couldn't resist going into a hole in the ground? Were you thinking 'oh, look! A hole in the ground, I need to go down there! Oh, I am a cleric of Narath, I don't need any backup or muscle or magic. If I get into any problems I will just stab it!"
"Well, kinda." But, now that he thought about it more he wasn't sure what he was doing in this hole in the first place. "Things need exploring and questions need answering."
"Don't forget that souls need saving."
"I am not in the business of saving souls, at least not until I am sure when or how a soul would need saving, that is why Narath is having me explore a bit before I announce her presence."
"You mean until you become a lame-o prophet."
"Well, kinda. When you say it like that it makes me sound kinda lame"
"Ethelred Beranhond, first prophet of the Great Goddess Narath!" Tigrisclawu sits back on his feet, licks paw and stops. "Oh yeah, it does makes you sound much cooler than you are. You should introduce yourself that way."
"Why yes, yes it does, and no I am not going to introduce myself. When I mention her most people laugh or accuse me of heresy. That is besides the point - she did come to me to be her first prophet, so I am still cool."
"Yes, so why aren't you professing her word?"
"Because, I am supposed to be... why are we talking about this now, we argued about this the whole way across the sea of falling stars!"
"You brought it up."
"No... you did, you mentioned the souls needing saving."
"Well, they do need saving!"
Off in the distance Beranhond thought he heard voices. Remembering where he was he stopped talking and slipped back into the shadows and tried to be secretive. Of course, being a cleric, he isn't really trained in sneakiness. He is trained in loudly announcing his presence and smiting the unbelievers. Or, at least in asking them questions about their faith and how they derive meaning from life. More on that later.
Looking around he was concerned that the whole area seemed to be brighter. Looking down he noticed a bright light was starting to shine off of Tigrisclawu's collar. Oh great...
"Tigrisclawu... I told you to turn off your light orb."
"I didn't turn it on." He pushed his paw up, but it didn't shut off. The light grew larger and started to take form. In a moment Narath, in all her glory, appeared from the light and stood before Beranhond. Her long hair shimmered in a multitude of hues, seemingly both black, brown, auburn, and red all at once. Her skin radiated and settled on a glowing shade. A knee length gown of an unearthly silvers showed brightly and on her feet were brown, pointed, leather boots (yes, Narath wears cowboy boots). Slung across her back was an immense shield and at her waist was a large horn. On her head she wore a four cornered mortarboard with a golden tassel. Beranhond often thought that for any other person such an outfit would look ridiculous. But for Narath it was perfect.
"Eth, my prophet... do not be afraid in this dark place." She said in the soothing tones that she always used to pacify Beranhond. She used nicknames with him and unlike anyone else, Beranhond gave no complaint at the usage.
"Thank you my Goddess. Your presence is a comfort in the dark places of the earth." Beranhond whispered. He was trying to sound respectful, though his voice retained the awe he always felt when greeted with her presence. Mustering all his confidence he proceeded, "you know that seeing your face lifts my heart more than I could explain, and that no word I could ever use would be worthy of your presence... but, now is not the best time."
At this statement she looked around, causing the oddly shaped shield to give a metal jingle and the tassel on her mortarboard lightly hitting Beranhond in the face as she spun. Looking back she noticed his efforts to be secretive, and the setting in which the conversation had been taking place. She gave him a wink as sheo carefully lifted her boots out of the urine/salt water mix.
"Indeed it is not, forgive me. I am still getting used to these divine powers and when/how to pay attention to my prophet." She whispered as she put her hands on her hips with a look toward Beranhond that can only be described, and not very well at that, as an odd mixture of the smitten adoration of a first love and the omnipotent power of a world spanning Goddess.
Beranhond smiled at her, before she leaned forward and somewhat awkwardly kissed Beranhond's forehead. Her hands moved as part of the same motion in order to touch his unshaven cheeks and to adjust the hair out of his face. Beranhond's sword and shield and shield hit the ground and his hands, on their own accord, moved briefly upward. They stopped after only an inch of travel when she moved down so that their eyes, and lips, were level.
Taking a deep breath she started speaking words that were half planned from the day of her creation and half the ramblings of a Goddess who suddenly lacks a vocabulary. "My days are bright because of you Eth... you are my light as much as I am yours and it it might not make any sense to you, but I have been trying to say this forever and everytime I tried before, it just came across as all unnatural and now I am rambling and you probably think I am crazy... I just wanted to say that I...
She paused for a moment, took a deep breath and with a tone of forced calmness said, "care very deeply for you and that I fear this quest to find the message that you will share with the world isn't fully fair on my part." She looked down to his hands and moved her fingers on his face. "The stories always have us bringing a message of great truth, but I think you know now that the message we send to the world is only as strong as the faith of our believers. Fortunately for me, I know you will find the right message to heal this world in its current times of trouble and the troubles that will soon follow." Her lips moved and for a moment it seemed that she was going to kiss Beranhond's lips. Breathlessly and nearly silently, her lips inches from his she said words meant only for him. "Go with my love Ethelred Beranhond first prophet and saviour, know it is always there. I know in my mind and heart that you will be visiting places I cannot go and many times I will be unable to manifest such as this, but I will try to come when you call and I will be within you as long as you carry my love and my light with me." The tension filling the space between them was palpable. His hands had stopped moving, but his heartbeat sped up. The warmth of her hands sent a trickle of sweat down his back. They stood, eyes locked, for what seemed an infinite amount of time. Which, considering her divine powers, it could have been. Finally, she stepped back, pulled her hands away from his face and said somewhat anticlimactically, "Though, in a few words of advice... I wouldn't go much further in here. Second, you should get a shave... and a helmet my beloved... prophet."
Beranhond realized that his hands had reached out to her as she pulled away. When he finally stopped he continued to stand awkwardly. Trying to look nonchalant, he slowly lowered his hands to the ground and picked up his sword and shield that had fallen during the visit of Narath. His eyes drifted downward for a moment before he looked up and adjusted his shield to cover below his belt. Tigrisclawu gave him a quizzical look.
"Well, that is something a cat doesn't see everyday."
"What do you mean." Beranhond clearly had returned to his usual state of self-denial, or denseness. Tigrisclawu just shook his head.
"When your books of prophecy or the messages of Narath are written..."
"Yes?"
"Don't include any account of what just happened."
Beranhond simply nods.
"And Beranhond?"
"Yes?"
"When you are ready, your shield should probably be up a little higher..."
Well, I don't know what to think of all that. But his mind was still thinking of her face, her touch, and her oddly eccentric fashion. Beranhond was glazing over when he almost failed to notice...
Perception:
Roll(1d20)+4:
5,+4
Total:9
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