Dinner Party - Beranhond's Story

Beranhond was surprised at the variety of journey's that his companions had taken. Darvin's story hadn't surprised him too much as, sadly, much of the evidence of his last few years remained scattered around The Lady Narath.
Talathel's journey of renewal was uplifting and reminded him of a fervor that had wandered away along with the voices of the Gods.
Nym's story of finding peace, and perhaps a bit of reprieve from the darkness that had followed her, gave him a bit of hope as well. Yet, all too soon he felt it was time for his turn to share his story.
"Well." He said clearing his throat."I can fill in a few gaps that the rest of you don't remember..."

Beranhond stepped away from the attack, the swing of the sword missing him, and he slipped aesahaettr deftly between the guard's ribs.
"Darvin, Johan, we need to advance." He yelled to the two who were fighting rear guard. A sudden blurry shape charged forward from where Johan had once stood.
"What the..." He said, blocking another strike with his shield. Darvin stepped forward and attacked with his swords, disarming one of the guards.
"Well done Darvin!" Beranhond said encouragingly. "We just might win this yet and see what is hidden..."
Beranhond's words were cut off as a large black shape moved down the stairs started chanting.
"Retreat, get out of here!" Beranhond yelled, shoving another guard aside with his shield and then starting to move back toward the entrance.
Before he could move too far toward the exist the chanting stopped and the room filled with darkness and a sharp shock of pain ran through Beranhond's body. He dropped the ground screaming and saw that the other two were also collapsing to the ground in pain.
Beranhond raised up his symbol of Narath, hoping to shield the attack, or at least to minimize some of the pain.
Eth... the darkness is making it's move. Came Narath's voice into his head. He pushed up the symbol again the waves of pain emanating from the darkness. The symbol cracked and broke, and a flash of light exploded out from the light.
Eth, I'm buying you a few moments of escape by distracting the darkness. Return to Baldur's Gate and get the Paladins out of the region... all those relying on divine powers are likely to fall under the sway of the rising darkness. A shimmering wall of light emerged from the broken holy symbol, and Beranhond quickly ran over grabbing Darvin and Johan and dragging them to safety.
The ride back unlike any experience that he had experienced. Darvin and Johan rode as in shock, before Johan suddenly peeled off and rode off in silent, unresponsive to Beranhond's calls.
Beranhond returned Darvin to the Lady Narath, leaving him in the same unresponsive stupor that had overtaken him since Candlekeep.

"At that point, I knew that I needed to find Ceilith. Yet, I was completely unprepared for what was to have occurred. I made my way to the front and found the Tormish Paladins over confidently involved in an assault on the forces of darkness. I assisted them as much as I could, but..." Beranhond swallowed. "My divine powers had failed me and I could cast no spells, call on no abilities, and serve no divine healing. The paladins too suffered similarly. In fact, as the battle went on more and more of the forces turned sides, becoming zombie's and ghosts and ghouls, until Ceilith and I stood at the rearguard, a few paladin's who had once had training as soldiers and warriors the only remnant of the expeditionary force." Beranhond took a heavy sip of the wine. "I thought we might have a chance to escape, but a massive dark shape burst through the line and slammed Ceilith to the ground." He looked down at the oaken table. "I managed to fight off the shape for a moment and to hoist Ceilith up onto a horse. We escaped, along with a few of the paladins, to south of the battlefield. When we stopped and I checked Ceilith's wounds I found that it was beyond my non-magical aid.

"It's alright Eth.." She said coughing up blood. "I'm going to go and join the fight in heaven at Torm's sides."Her hands going up to his face. "I adored every moment I had with you even if I could never understand why you fought against contentment with every fiber of your being.
Beranhond couldn't hold back his smile. "Oh stop... I wasn't that bad." He say ruefully.
"Yes you were." She said before coughing again. "But, when I die, make sure I'm dead... I don't want to come back as one of them. I know what I'm asking you might be morbid, but please, take me back to Tantras and bury me in my family's plot.
Beranhond eyes shot open. "I can't..."
"Please..." She said coughing. "Even if it's just my head. I don't want to come back as one of them." She looked up into his eyes one final time. "Fight the good fight Ethelred. I'll give your parents your best..." she said before sliding into death.

"After her death, I followed her wishes, building a pyre and burning her ashes before leaving Baldur's Gate and returning to Tantras and her ancestral land. I held a small funeral with her family and then attempted to give my report to the Tormish command." He fiddled with his fork, trying not to dwell on the memories.  "Yet, although they politely listened to my report on the destruction of the druids, the vunerabilities of divine energy, and the rise of the darkness they seemed not interested. Apparently since my previous visit a new faction had arisen that decided to refocus on the war with Thay. The incidents out west were deemed unimportant and I was politely thanked but summarily dismissed."
"I returned to my family's land, tilling the land for a season as I reflected on the new reality of the world. Although I prayed and sought conversation with Narath she was absent. Word soon flooded into the Citadel that Gods and Goddesses across the world were seemingly absent from the world. It was at that moment that I realized that I was once again needed out west. My journey back was smooth..."
"Really, smooth?" Evelaen interjected. "That's how you are describing us meeting?" She rolled her eyes. "Beranhond can tell an epic story quite well, but I fear he will mangle the story of our meeting with a lot of unnecessary 'thee's and 'thou's." She laughed heartely. "I don't want it sounding like something that came out of a chivalrous court. So, let them ask their questions and then I'll finish up the story of our journey."

Elsewhere in the world part 1

Mashy sighed and continued to scrub the counter.
"What's wrong lassie?" The bartender said.
"Oh, its nothing. Just worried." She said pushing her glass toward him.
"Worried? Is it about the sundering, the Lathenderian forces, or something else?" He said as he filled up the pint with beer and sending it back to her.
She smiled weakly and took a sip.
"Well, kind both. There was this guy I used to be really close to." She said taking another sip and looking wisftul.
"Oh, I see." The bartender said knowingly. "He broke your halfling heart didn't he?"
"Yes." She said sighing. "To run off with some young innocent wizard or something." She drank some more. "I mean, I guess I can forgive him for that, but it doesn't make it hurt less or make me worry less. Last thing I heard he was going to go out and right some wrongs or something."
"Lots of wrong's to be righted. Was he heading anywhere near Waterdeep?"
"I think he was heading right for Waterdeep."
"I hope he got out of there, last I heard that land is mostly cracks, lava, and hostile armies."
"The fool." She said. "I am also worried about my family in Secomber. I haven't heard from them in ages and I am worried that the city was taken over."
The bartender held his tongue. He had just heard from some refugees that the only thing left unspoiled in the entire region around Waterdeep were the druids who had escaped into the High Forest.
"I... am sure it will be alright sweetie." He refilled her pint. "On the house."
She put her head down on the bar.
"Darvin, you stupid fool..." she whispered. "I miss you..." The bartender softly patted her arm.

"The new report is in Grand-Warden." A frumpy looking red wizard said behind her.
Ceilith turned away from the view of drab Thay and smiled at him graciously. "Thank you magistrate. Come, walk me down to my office." He nodded and the two of them moved to walk down the stairs away from the battlements.
"How are the repatriations coming along?"
"Quite well. We have arranged travel and a small stipend for all the former slaves who wished to return home to their native lands. Those who decided to remain here have been given either land or start up capital for their home businesses." He paused under her raised eyebrow. "Honestly, nothing can undo the damage wrought by the previous regime, but at least it is a sign that the Republic of Thay is interested in doing what it can."
"Well spoken Halfarg." She said. "I will make note of that in my next report to the Citadel. I will say that we have been quite pleased that our expeditionary force to Thay has had to do little peace-keeping duty. You and your fellows do seem to have turned the corner." Thay had changed dramatically in such a short amount of time. She thought. The revolution had sprung up overnight and the wizards were really not prepared for the damage that a repressed people can do.
"You are lucky that the revolution didn't just slaughter all of you."
"There were many of us who always had qualms about the path that our most recent ruler had. It was a convenient time for us to throw our lot with the opressed masses." He saw the look on her face. "I know that we had been cowards before then, but I hope that the world will give us the chance to show that we will never let that happen again."
"I do not know if the world is as forgiving as I am." She said as she opened the door to her office and ushered him in. Although the new government of the Republic had offered her the former chambers of the ruling wizard she decided that simple chamber would do. She took a seat.
"How about the mobilization?"
"We are trying to push our training ahead of schedule to replace those wizards lost in the revolution. I am hoping that we will soon have enough combat forces to stem the tide. Our new Republic Guard is ahead of schedule - your Paladin's have been instrumental in their training. I daresay that our next army will not know what to make of a Thayvian army trained by Tormish Paladins."
"Let's just hope it is enough." She looked down at the stack of papers. "Any other news?"
"We lost contact with our scout patrol that was sent to Shaar."
"Oh? Any idea what happened?" They had been hoping that the orcs would be helpful allies and stop any disasters in the south.
"Our last report came frofrom Zalkar who said the unit had been destroyed and that he was bringing several warriors back with him. He said he was going to use the gates to travel back, but we haven't heard anything since." The man looked down at a sheet of paper.
"One said he knew you, a cleric named Ethelred Beranhond."
Ceilith felt a leap of her heart as she remembered all of the times she had spent with him and she felt a slight flush creeping to her face.
"Eth?"
Halfrag looked confused. "Do you know him?"
"Long story... very long story... we used to be good friends." She stopped. "Well, still are good friends, our paths just cross in odd and dangerous places. Maybe he can shed some light on the situation."

Illuvaen crepty quietly through the woods and looked out into the open glade. Seeing nothing he waved his hands back to to his followers. His six companions approached with bows drawn.
"Any sign of danger?"
"No, I think we avoided my mother's trackers."
"She is getting better at tracking than the shadowcasters were." One said quietly.
"She is far too clever." Illuvaen responded in a hushed tone. "At least she hasn't fully learned how to use the gem, otherwise we would be in series trouble."
"Next time some visitors from another world show up Illuvaen don't be so nice to them OK?"
Illuvaen winced. It was true that he had helped Nym escape the world and that their efforts had unwittingly put his mother in charge. I hope she is doing well. He thought. I wouldn't mind seeing her again, even if she is running with that foolish Darvin.
"Alright, time to move, lets get into the safety of the village!" Illuvaen shouted. Then moving as one, he and his companions darted across the field and dived into a nearly invisible hole in the ground.

Quo Vadis?

Talathel can't quite see Darvin yet, because he hasn't quite found his way so we shall just axe that for now...

Nym, along the way you also see the charred bodies of Scriptus and Codex - they were burned beyond recognition, but their wedding rings shone identified them to you.

Talathel and Beranhond stared out at the wreckage as if unsure of what to do.
"Excuse me, new friends of mine, but perhaps I could inquire as to where we might obtain some food or fresh water? Last night was trying for all of us and I think we could use breakfast." The strange fellow in black said.
Beranhond shook his mind as if clearing a mist.
"Yes, of course." Beranhond rummaged around and found a empty trough and filled it with ten gallons of freshly made clean water.
The man in black raised his eyes. "I see that your groups reputation is well deserved." However, he said no more as everyone started to spread out their meager food.
Beranhond turned towards Talathel wanting to ask him a question, but noticed a familiar shape on a horse.
"Nym!" He said standing, "glad to see you survived the awful night. Any sign of Darvin?"

Darvin picked up Thjodolf's corpse and started walking toward the pile. With a sad heave he through him on and sang a short sea chanty in his memory.
"Dear friend of yours?" Khursid asked in a polite understanding tone. Darvin simply nodded. They made their way out of camp, passing many people. Some were carrying corpses, wounded, and their friends, while there were some who were simply looking for whatever remnants of their lives they could salvage. After a walk that seemed to take an eternity Darvin noticed a grouping of humanoids in a small opening in the midst of the destruction.

We have come to one of those situations where everyone is standing around. This is something we have historically struggled with. I will fill in when need to make it less awkward, but essentially you have several things you could do:

1. Try to make some sense of the situation.
2. Quiz this strange man in black - if this sounds really boring I can have Beranhond do this in one big post that you get the information without having to do an RP.
2. Decide the next step based on any information you learn.
3. Decide where you want to go to get what needs to be done.
4. Something completely different than anything I just mentioned ... such as:
A. Flee and not worry about the encroaching evil.
B. Pool your money and spend it all on liquor.
C. Try to take over the Orcish camp and turn them into slaves.

Part 2

"No, don't say anything right now." She said putting her hand across the mouth. "I know you are really connected with your religion and I know that this mission means a lot to you. But that isn't the point."Beranhond held his mouth open for a moment. "What is the point then?"
"You can't always hide behind your obligations to hide your emotions."
"What? I don't do that."
"Yes you do. You found a place in the Tormish Paladins to try to avoid having to deal with the pains of life. You let some doubts about Torm get in the way of you and Ceilith."
"She wanted to stay with them rather than be with me." He said angrily.
"It sounds like she expressed her love to you on a hillside! Are you really that dense - do you think she just did that because she wanted to have one afternoon with you? I think she was willing to try to work something out."
"But that doesn't mean I fled it."
"No, but you did hide behind it." She turned and looked away from him.
"But I have obligat..."
"Yes, but don't use them to hide behind. I am not trying to pressure you or anything, but I care about you and I worry about you. I fear that rather than embracing life your religious inclination is more about avoiding the actual living of life."

"Perhaps that isn't the best example, but that is because I didn't really want to bring up how you are letting your faith get in the way of life now." She turned back to him. "Don't focus so much on the afterlife that you forget about life Eth. Just think about that."
Before he could respond she stood and walked out of the tent. Beranhond watched her leave, shook his head in confusion, and laid back on his sleeping pad.

Any dream will do.

I don't really have any overwhelming questions to ask of right now... so feel free to skip ahead to the ritual/challenge, whatever it might be.Beranhond followed them into the camp, talking idly with them, but he was more interested in a place to sit and relax. The previous days had been a little tiring. The quick horse back ride, the killings, the forced march, poor sleep and the mornings questioning had stressed and tired him. Thus, when his escorts pointed out a solitary tree that would be provide some shade he quickly accepted and while his escort sat down around him Beranhond dosed off to take a short nap.
As he drifted into slumber he swore he could hear the call of the horns of Torm. Opening his eyes his saw that he was back in his room at the Citadel of Torm. Outside the crystal blue water of the sea of fallen stars glinted in the afternoon sunlight and the streets below were filled with troops beyond count.
"This cannot be!" Beranhond said jumping up and opening the door. Suddenly he was down amongst the crowd. He could not make out any of the people around them - their faces held no features or identities.
"What happened?" He asked one of the shapes
"The spring of Torm no longer flows! Those dark enemies who would end his civilizing ways must now be punished!" The voice seemed familiar and he reached over to touch the shape's shoulder.
Suddenly he was back in the sewer of Balder's Gate and Ceilith stood in front of him.
"I have to kill you Eth. You just don't understand."
"Understand what?"
"It." She thrust her sword into his chest. "I do still love you though."
"Well... this seems an odd time to tell me that." Beranhond said as he fell to the ground and clutched his chest. As he pulled his hands away he saw that they were not red, but instead sticky and yellow.
"Interesting. Why would I be bleeding honey?" He said feeling weaker and lightheaded. He started to topple backwards, but at the last moment he felt Narath's hands catch him and throw him upward. He burst out of the sewers and floated above the badlands. He no longer felt lightheaded or dizzy and Narath flew beside him.
"Narath? What is going on."
"Oh, you are just having an odd dream. Very odd. Do analyze it if you have time."
"Ok." He looked around, but as he looked at the ground he noticed it was getting closer.
"Hmmm. I suspected that I couldn't fly." As his face slammed into the ground everything turned to black.

He sat upright in the grass which caused Tigrisclawu to jump as well. Shaking his head he turned to his escort.
"Is it time?"

Walking in the wasteland

As Beranhond strapped his gear to his backup he was lost in thought.
Where had the Paladin on watch gone? Who were these people and why had they left them alive?
The two men seemed to be just doing their duty, but the woman from the north with the scythe had an unnerving grim quality about her. As he looked towards the bodies of his fallen companions he couldn't help but worry about Ceilith. Had she been out on a similar patrol and ambushed by people such as these? She had been making patrols through this area for much of the past month and had yet to return to Waterdeep.
She was tough and probably was not so foolish as to camp out in the open with less than trustworthy watchers. He thought. However, in all honesty, who expected a Paladin to up and leave their watch duty? Well. I was a Paladin, or at least was nearly one, and know that they are not always as virtuous or striving to good as they appear. Plus, good and evil are not nearly as easy to spot as they appear from behind the walls of the citadel.
As a result, as they put their packs on and followed the three he kept his eyes moving about the three, waiting, and watching. He did not immediately offer any conversation, but waited instead to see if their new escort offered any.

To really, love a woman...

"Except, perhaps Beranhond, I'm not sure he would know what do to with a woman." Darvin said.

Oh, really.  Beranhond thought and chuckling a bit. It is just as well that he thinks that, and in all honesty it was quite well crafted humor. Beranhond thought guiltily. Most Paladin's and Clerics are not meant to enjoy carnal pleasures, but he thought, I am not sure what Narath's stance is on coitus. After a moments reflection he decided that after that mornings interactions he was positive that Narath wanted Beranhond to have nothing to do with women and decided that he would respect those wishes. At Darvin's words, Beranhond drifted off into the realms of his mind, and of his experience with women, or at least with one woman.


flashback alert... 


The feast of Sturzzin snuck up on no one - everyone awaited it eagerly as it arrived quite rarely. It was always be preceded by a three day period of fasting and introspection followed by parties and feasts of special significance. As a result, their instructors gave them four days off. The novice's, quite unused to such an allotment of time, used their days off to travel, catch up on sleep, or to visit home for a unheard of visit. Their instructors would undoubtedly expect more piety in the future, but it was forgiven for their youth. Ceilith and Beranhond had used the first day two days to explore the surrounding town and were using the last day before the feast to have a picnic in the surrounding countryside.
"Where did you get all of this food?" He asked her looking at the remarkable spread on their blanket.
"That is my secret." She said, lying on her back with her eyes shut, enjoying the light of the sun and the cloudless sky. She was beautiful and on such a day all the feelings that Beranhond had had, and not had, for years grew to an oddly unchecked level. Though they were trained in asceticism, piety, and nobility, love and lust still simmered in their minds. Especially when they were somewhat encouraged by the other party.
They spoke idle banter, his eyes locked on her, when she sat up and looked at him.
"Beranhond..." her hands reached towards him.
"Yes...?" He said nervously, but before he could finish she leaned in and kissed him. Her arms wrapping around his back and pulling him close. His hands took her side.
After a moment, she let go.

"I have been wanting to do that for sometime..."

"I as well."

"I thought this would be my last chance..." She leaned forward and layed him on his back.
I think perchance, that this is not the forum to describe such an encounter. Indeed, neither Ceilith or Beranhond, nor their instructors would be pleased if any heard the description. Thus, for the sake of the wellbeing of the Paladin's of Torm, we shall skip it.

Ceilith lay, again fully clothed and her face flushed, looked at Beranhond. "I am being accelerated. On the feast day I go on the quest." Acceleration often happened for those that the instructors and council decided had special faith or had seen visions. They took the final test of faith early and received the rest of their training in the field. This was not unexpected, but Beranhond's heart still fell. The day had already taken such drastic turns that he should have been ready, but he turned away and looked into the distance.

"Run away with me..., let us run together and actually have a life."

"But we both have a life Eth. We are both dutiful servants of Torm and we are both going to be very successful." She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. "You have done such wonders in magic and lore, and I know you will be great when you take the final test." She caressed his face and kissed him on the forehead. "They have told me that if I pass I will be assisting in a special mission of great significance. I think it is the one that Torm told me before." She pulled her hands away and reached upwards, her eyes shut in excitement.

"But, Ceilith, there is no future for you in that. There is no love in Torm's world, there is no true life in this. Don't you feel like a cog in a machine? Torm can be such a narrow God, let us go and find life's meaning together rather than just being told that meaning is derived from goodness alone."

At that, Ceilith's face drew dark. "Meaning is derived from faith Eth, you know that. Our lives are meant to be in service to Torm."
"Service! There must be more than just dutifuly following the order of our heirarchs in the name of God. I cannot feel his presence I cannot feel any depth of belief towards this Torm. Don't you see that what we are being told are simply the rapackaged lessons of servitude? The way the teachers talk about other faiths seems to suggest that they simply didn't get the right message." He took a deep breath. "But, our lives must be more than just service to some distant God especially when the message they bring is such a pedantic one. A God is supposed to help bring understanding and revelation - but not through repetition and hostile messages of order and civilization .Where is the diversity, where is the pluralism, where is the truth?" As he ranted on, revealing at last his feelings towards Torm, Ceilith's face grew darker and darker.
"Eth, I care for you deeply, but I don't think you care for me as much as you think you do. I am worried about your faith and I think you are using me to cover that." She stood and pointed at him. "This isn't you! You have never wanted an idle life of domestic bliss. Search your feelings. Don't throw away a promising career just because you have hardened your heart to Torm." At that she stood and started walking away.
Beranhond sat numb, in a fraction of a moment he had gone from sublime bliss to a crashing reality. Though it had hurt, he knew in his mind that she spoke the truth - Ceilith had had his love, but it was not a true love, nor was it all that deep. For some time it had been fading in and out and perhaps it was all the better that it had ended so suddenly. Though, oddly enough, she herself had shown him that his path might not lay with Torm.