LH64 - La LH du début de la campagne BDE
Before Any came to Be. Before Time itself began its course. Rising from Nothing and becoming All. There was One. One existed in Void, as darkness and silence.
One presently became lonely, and to soothe His loneliness, split into Many. And each part was unto the other the same, and yet different. And the Many each took unto itself a name, that they might know One Another. And the names they took were Treac, Thoris, Timar and Klotra, Obri, Kesti, Maigyn, and Em'rel. They took council among Themselves and decided to create the World. The Many, who became the Gods, created the realm and all the plants and animals therein, and They were pleased. Again They took council, and Treac was given dominion over the Waters, and Thoris over the Earth. To Timar was given control over the Airs, and Klotra the Fire. Over Those-That-Fly was set Hobri, over Those-That-Swim was Maigyn. Kesti took charge of Those-That-Run, and Em'rel chose to guard Those-That-Do-Not-Move. And the Gods were content.
But there was one of the Many who did not take part in the creation of the World, and he was not content. He was Morda, the Dark One, the spawn of the Void. He saw the World and all that was in it, and coveted these things for Himself. So He came to the World and hid Himself, and the Gods neither saw nor knew Him. Morda hid in the deep earth under the land where He found the Darkness. He became the Lord of the Dark, enjoying in it the absence of Light and creatures. Morda sought to spread the Darkness and take the Gods' creations as His own.
Soon the Gods decided that the World was not complete. None but Themselves could enjoy its beauties. So the Children of the Gods were created. Morda sulked in his hiding place, Each thing that brought more joy to the Gods made him more bitter. He decided to make the World to be like His home, the Void. He saw the children of the Gods and wished to have children of His own. But rather than create His own, Morda sought ways to subvert the Gods' children to His ways of Darkness. He decided to instill in God's childrens the temptations of Sin. And doing so, He created an army, loyal to His cause, promised to the Void.
And so, the fight between Darkness and Light began.
Free City. The capital of the realm. A city built thousand of years ago atop the branches of trees that existed long before civilization itself. Wandering through the street of the city, Biwidwi stared amazed at the sheer beauty of the place. The architecture, the colors, the smells, the sounds, they all felt so .. natural, so pure. The city was alive, infinitely complex, yet so simple. The streets, separated in several layers, connected to each other by bridges and stairs slithering alongside the trunks and branches gave the city a unique charm. It was no wonder why the city became the center of the elven life. The heart of the realm. The place where all the trade and commerce happened. And why the High Council of the Elves decided to establish their headquarters here.
And it was more lively than ever, as the Departure Ceremony had begun. A celebration of the departure of the hero party selected to hunt down the long lost artifacts of the legendary soldier Annoc. A celebration of 3 days and 3 nights. This was one of the most important event of the Free City. More than just announcing the departure of the hero party, it allowed business to thrive, craftsmen from all around the world gathered to show off their best work, magicians came to offer their service. And amidst these displays of talent, the bravest bards and acrobats performed to entertain the crowds. 3 days. And 3 nights. Filled with the best alcohol, the best food, the best music, the best everything one could ever taste in one's life.
But this gnome had other matters to attend to. More than just the heart of the realm, and the grandest city that exists, the Free City was also the place where Em'rel's worship was the most important. The place where her temple stood. The place where her religion started. Maybe here he could get answers about the dreams he had been having for the past few months, about this so called destiny that he had been chosen to accomplish. And it was with hopeful eyes that Biwidwi gazed at the people and buildings around him. Hoping that something would happen if he just looked hard enough, if he just asked the right person. Moving through the streets, he searched for .. well .. anything really. A symbol carved in the wood ? a priest in ceremonial robes ? Anyone that knew anything ? But he found nothing. He started asking, to anyone who might listen to him, once, twice, the answers were vague, even nonexistant at times. "The temple is closed", "The priests are busy", "Come back tomorrow". Tomorrow. But tonight, the city would not sleep.
Music swelled the leaves of the trees. Laughter filtered through the branches. Lantern light flickered and the scent of roasted meats and wine swirled around the place, pleasant, tempting. With each step, his hope of finding anything was slowly being replaced by the desire to indulge in the festival, to let go of his worries, and enjoy the moment. What could go wrong ? He didn't really have obligations, no one to answer to, maybe he could be easier on himself, and give in. And slowly, the festival claimed him. The plates he encountered screamed his name in the most delicate way, and all the beverages trapped him in a web of temptation unlike any he had felt before. And he faded away from the world, from his worries, from this so called destiny and this goddess he'd known for not even a year.
At the end of the third day, Biwidwi stared at the empty bottom of his pint. However sure he was all of this could have ended in a better way, he did not really have the luxury to consider the ifs and buts right now, right here. Here, in the middle of a tavern, not a single coin in his pocket, not a single soul that knew his name, and a headache that could have very much sent him in the arms of Morpheus if it wasn't for the urgency of his current situation. What a fool he had made of himself, getting wasted knowing full well his funds weren't enough to sustain a gnome like him for more than a week. And did he learn anything about this so called Em'rel goddess that supposedly chose him ? No, not one clue, not even the semblance of an hint.
But hey, who could really blame him ? No one had to be reasonnable all the time, and as he glanced at the figure of the three strangers sitting next to him at the bar, he couldn't help but feel that he wasn't alone in his predicament. In fact, most of them seemed to be even worse off than him, atleast for the headache part. And what curious people they were... A catfolk ? Here ? I mean, not that it was unheard of in a city like this, but still, they didn't appear that often in the countryside. As a matter of fact it might very well be the first one he had ever seen. The gnome could not quite decipher the creature's emotions, but the catfolk seemed lost in his thought, as if his entire reality shifted overnight and he was still trying to recall where or even who he was. The other two, while they felt more in touch with reality and well, more in touch in general as they seemed to know each other, were not much better off. The male, a Tengu, was staring at the ground with a blank .. well more so pale than blank expression, his once georgeous feathers ruffled and his beak slightly open, almost on the verge of vomiting. The female, an half-elf, doing her best to keep him from doing so, was frantically looking around as if help would materialize out of nowhere.
It would have been difficult for Biwidwi to laugh at them, considering the image he was probably giving off himself yet he could not help but feel a bit of amusement at the sight of these three strangers, sailing the same boat as him, on the same agitated sea. And while the chuckle he let out could possibly have been prevented by many means, it was not. As the three slowly turned their heads towards the gnome, he shrank in his chair, mumbling a sorry excuse as he tried not to attract more of their attention. However, to his surprise, they didn't seem to be angry at him, even, faintly amused that atleast somebody in their small group of shipwrecked folks was finding the situation funny. Muttering all his courage, Biwidwi raised his hand to wave at them before trying to start a conversation. “Hey, I was—”
Just as he was about to finish his sentence, the door to the tavern smashed open. All the patrons turned their heads toward the source of the noise as a well-dressed elf walked in, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Biwidwi and his three new companions. Approaching their table, he addressed them with a voice marked by the passing of time.
“Would any of you be interested in a quest? A rather simple one. Just retrieving information.”
Noticing the interest on the faces of the catfolk and the tengu beside him, Biwidwi assumed they were curious about the offer. The tengu, at least, might have been, if he had been capable of forming a single coherent thought at that moment. Taking the lead, Biwidwi decided to answer for the four of them.
"Yes, gladly, uh, sir. What exactly would this quest be ?"
The old elf looked at the gnome for a moment, then glanced around the rest of the tavern. The rest of his words seemed suspended on the tip of his lips before he finally signaled for the group to follow him outside.
Stepping onto the plaza, the gentle evening breeze caressed Biwidwi’s face as he stared at the night scenery. Moonlight filtered through the leaves of the massive trees that held the city nearly five hundred feet above the ground, rendering the whole place almost dreamlike.
The old elf whom Biwidwi now recognized as one of the members of the city council, Kelin if he remembered properly, took a deep breath before beginning to explain the situation.
"I am sure you're aware of the party that was sent to search for Annoc's artifacts. They decided to go up north as it is the common route that has been taken by the previous parties, and, as it is the one that leads to OakHeart, we are almost sure that one of the artifacts is hidden somewhere along the way"
Kelin paused for a moment, pondering how best to phrase the rest of his explanation.
"However, the Lady of the Lake sent us a missive, shortly after they departed, asking of them to come meet her at the Blue Lake. She mentionned a prophecy that was revealed to her, containing more informations about the artifacts, and we need someone to retrieve this prophecy"
The old stopped again, gauging their reactions. Seeing worry beginning to spread across the group’s faces, he clarified:
“The road to the Blue Lake is not particularly dangerous, but most of the guards are currently mobilized to assist the hero party or deal with the aftermath of the festival. The council cannot spare them.”
His gaze then fell upon the rather pitiful group of four alcoholics.
“And that is where you come in. I would like you to travel to the Blue Lake, meet the Lady of the Lake, and bring the prophecy back to us. The council will of course pay you for your troubles and provide some supplies for the journey.”
Maybe partying had not been such a bad idea after all. Perhaps this was Biwidwi’s destiny: to get piss-drunk in a tavern and be recruited alongside three alcoholic fellow to embark on a fetch quest for the Council.
Still, the mission could hardly be accomplished alone. While the road to the Blue Lake might not be dangerous, neither was he. Some company would be more than appreciated. The half-elf was the first to break the silence.
“I would like to go, yes.”. She glanced at the tengu beside her. “We would both like to go, if you don’t mind.”
The council member smiled softly at them and nodded before turning his attention toward Biwidwi and the catfolk. “And what about you two?”
After a short moment of thought, the catfolk extended his hand toward the half-elf and the tengu. “I would be most interested in conducting this investigation with you, if my presence is not a burden.”
The half-elf nodded in agreement, welcoming him into this newly formed party, and her gaze slowly turned towards the last person. Without blinking an eye, and without so much as a moment’s hesitation, Biwidwi answered:
“Yes. I will join you as well.”
The old elf looked at the four of them for a moment before nodding. “Very well. We shall meet tomorrow, and I will provide whatever supplies you deem necessary for your journey. In the meantime, I suggest you get some rest… and try to clear your heads of the fog.”
After a final moment of contemplation, he turned and walked away, leaving Biwidwi and his new companions wondering how their plans for the next few days had changed so drastically in the blink of an eye.
The soft warmth of the sun's rays caressed Biwidwi’s face through the curtains of the simple window in his room. As he slowly got out of his dreamy world, he recalled the events of the previous night. The old man. The quest. His three companions. He took a moment to organize his thoughts before stumbling out of bed, gathering all his possessions, which, to be entirely honest, was not really a hardous task considering what he had in his name at the moment. He still had the necessary to cook, his clothes, and a few souvenirs from his hometown, but the bag that once contained the many coins he amassed during his youth now held naught but dust. Sighing deeply at the realization of his careless expenses, he made his way outside of his room, across the hall, all the way to the entrance of the tavern.
Oh how he yearned for a warm bath, and a good meal as well, maybe some clothes that did not carry the drenched smell of liquor. But this luxury was out of reach for him now. As his eyes slowly adapted to the scenery outside, he made out the silhouettes of the three strangers he met yesterday. The three strangers that would accompany him on this quest, and the three strangers that would probably be the only people he would see for the following week. The catfolk, sitting on the bench in front of the tavern, was staring at the horizon, lost in his thoughts again. The tengu, less pale, more vibrant than the night before, was standing in front of the half-elf, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. The two were arguing happily about a subject that did not seem to hold much importance.
Swiftly approaching them, Biwidwi extended his arm to wave at them, alerting them of his presence. The catfolk snapped out of his thoughts and gazed at him with a sharp look, as if analyzing each and every corner of his soul before nodding in recognition and waving back at him. The tengu, still standing in front of his companion, stopped his argument and stared at Biwidwi, leading the half-elf to quickly look up as well. Approaching him with a sincere smile, she extended her hand.
"There you are, it's nice seeing you again. I'm Eilyna". Then, pointing at the tengu in front of her. “And this simpleton here is my friend, Maïkos.”.
The tengu frowned at her slightly before extending his hand—or rather, claws—toward Biwidwi."Maïkos. Don't mind her, she just hates being wrong about stuff.”
The catfolk quietly stood up as well, and in a swift motion grabbed Biwidwi’s hand, firmly shaking it. “My name is Kluegus. Glad to be here with you.”
Biwidwi’s gaze set on the three of them. Strangers he had just met yesterday, yet who already seemed so close to one another. Crushed by his usual shyness, he stuttered his name back at them. “I am Biwidwi. Nice to meet you all as well.”
Just as he finished his sentence, the old elf they had met the day before approached the group, smiling. “Looks like all of you recovered from the festival, that's good.” He sustained his smile as he looked at each of them before continuing. “I discussed with the guards. They may be able to lend you horses for your journey, but they won't be able to provide more than two. As for the rations, they do have a lot to spare so this won't be a problem. We expect you to leave before the end of the day, so you have some time to prepare, but I suggest you get going as soon as you can.” He paused for a bit, letting them process his words before resuming. “I will make sure that the different merchants are aware of this mission so you won't be expected to pay for the supplies you need. Just tell them that Kelin Gabalden sent you, they will know what to do with this information.” After saying this, he handed each of them a small bag containing a few coins on top of this. “And this is prepayment for the mission. If you have any questions, I will be at the Council's headquarters so feel free to meet me there.”
Biwidwi nodded at the flow of information he had just been provided before slowly turning to the rest of his party. “Well, we should probably get going then. Any idea on what exactly we need to get? I mean, I never really travelled by horse, or with a group for all that matters.” Eilyna, pretty confident in her ability as a traveler started listing ideas. “I guess we could get some ropes, maybe some lights, and maybe some potions if we can get them for free to be honest. I have a few other things that I would like to get as well so I suggest we split up in order to be more efficient.” Maïkos, who had been quiet until now, nodded in agreement. “I will go get the ropes then. We could meet around here before noon.”
Biwidwi quietly sighed in relief. Surely the time he had at hand would be enough for him to eat, clean, and maybe gather some information about the goddess for whom he came to this town in the first place. He waved goodbye to Maïkos and Eilyna before heading toward the center of the town.
Here, almost as if emerging from the trunk of a tree, stood a beautiful building. Symbol of the Free City. Heart of the religion of these lands. The temple of Em'rel. While not really a complicated building in and of itself, its arches made of branches and vines, pillars made of wood, and roof almost fusing with the leaves made the while breathtaking. As if the trees themselves had decided to come together to create this place of worship. As he stepped inside, the sweet smell of flowers and the soft light that filtered through the leaves filled him with an inner serenity even amidst the chaos of his existence. He looked around the inside of the building. On the side walls of the main hall, several wooden statues of gods and goddesses were aligned, each one more skillfully carved than the other. He quickly scanned through them and the signs written on the small plaques at their feet.
'Treac, God of Water.' 'Kesti, Lady of Those-that-Run.'
Quickly, his eyes landed on the statue at the end of the hall, standing taller than any other. The figure of a woman, a sprout emerging from her fingers, pointed at the sky as if to create a connection between the heavens and the earth. He approached the statue quietly so as not to disturb the peace that filled the temple and looked at the plaque at her feet.
'Em'rel, Lady of Those-that-Do-Not-Move.'
He stared at the statue for a moment, hoping it could give him some indication on how to proceed, but nothing came to his mind. Slowly detaching his eyes from the statue, his gaze wandered to the walls beside it. There, he spotted a figure against the wall. A priestess. At least that was what he assumed from the ceremonial dress she was wearing. Her blonde hair cascaded onto her shoulders, her breathing slow and steady.
She was sleeping. Peacefully. Or meditating. He did not know.
Carefully approaching her, he tried to see if she was fine. Sleeping sat against a wall? At this hour? Maybe it was his inquisitive look, or maybe his lack of discretion, but the priestess’ breathing subtly shifted. Her eyes slowly opened, and as they landed on him, her face painted an expression of surprise. She quickly tried to regain her composure, straightening her back but smashed her head against the wall behind her in the process. Suppressing a scream, a pain-ridden expression painted her face. The elf slowly stood up, towering over Biwidwi, and looked at him, pain mixed with confusion in her eyes. Dumbfounded by the scene he had just witnessed, Biwidwi tried to mutter a few excuses.
“I- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, just wanted to see if you were alright.”
The priestess gazed at him for a moment, analyzing his traits before nodding while hiding a yawn. “It's alright. I was just taking a nap. I may have got a little too comfortable here.” She smiled while rubbing the back of her head. “But I am fine, thanks for worrying. Do you need anything? I'll gladly tell you what I know as the head priestess of this temple.”
Biwidwi silently swore. God-forsaken luck. The head of the temple. Yet he shooed away his shyness, replaced by a wave of curiosity. “I just... I was sent on a quest by the council. Something about the prophecy and the artifacts of Annoc, and I wanted to know more.”
The priestess looked at him for a moment, almost as if she guessed there was something more. “I see. Well, the subject is quite broad but I can try to explain most of what I know.”
Taking a deep breath, she started talking. "Annoc, the legendary soldier, was given artifacts by the gods to help him in his fight against the God of Darkness, Morda. The fight was said to have lasted decades, at the end of which, unable to defeat Morda, Annoc decided to seal him, losing his life in the process. The artifacts, damaged by the aftermath of the combat, were scattered across the continent, waiting for the awakening of Morda to manifest themselves once more."
She glanced at Biwidwi, waiting for him to process. "The hero party that was sent to search for them was one of the many that had gone before them, all returning without so much as a clue about the artifacts, if they returned at all. The council believed that with the help of the artifacts, they would have an easier time combatting the monsters that still emerged from the inner layers of the earth, in the places where Morda's influence had yet to be purged, and that the power bestowed by the artifacts would deter the Dark Elves from continuing their war against the Elven realm." Biwidwi nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
"It was said that Annoc was chosen by Em'rel herself." She paused for a bit, almost as if the rest of her story caused a burden on her, before continuing in a softer, more emotive voice.s "I am a chosen of Em'rel too. The council wishes to hand me the artifacts once they retrieve them. I don't know if I can. I don't know if I want to carry this task, but I fear I do not have a choice."
Biwidwi saw her eyes wander a bit into the void, a small cloud of sadness and doubt crossing them, but she quickly snapped back to her bright and lively usual composure. "Well, not that it really matters considering the success of the previous expeditions." Looking at him, worried that she might have bored him, she continued. "Sorry to tell you all this, it's just that the council always reminds me of this fact near this period of the year, and it's starting to weigh down on me." She beamed at him with a radiant smile, catching him off guard. "You're surprisingly easy to talk to. As if we're... similar somehow?"
Touché. Hesitatingly, Biwidwi took a deep breath before trying to say something. "I -" He froze for a bit. How did he really know that he had been chosen? What if all those dreams were just creations of his sick mind? But he couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't. That they meant something more. "I was chosen as well, by Em'rel."
He paused, thinking about his words. "I thought I was the only one, so I was a bit frightened by the idea of telling it to someone else. I know nothing about Em'rel, just that after she started appearing in my dreams, I started developing magic powers unlike any my family had ever seen before." He hesitated. "I don't know why I was chosen. I am in no way great, not even that close to nature, and I come from a poor family of peasants. I did wrong in my life. I stole, sometimes lied. I don't know what destiny Em'rel sees in me, but she is mistaken. I am not who she thinks I am. I am incapable of doing great good to the world, or at least not more than any other person."
As he continued speaking, his insecurities flowing in an incoherent stream of words, he slowly started to quiet down as he realized that he might have said too much. That he had imposed his burden on someone who was worse off than him, someone who needed none of this information in the first place. He looked up at the priestess, expecting a look of disgust, or maybe pity. Instead, he was met with understanding. Empathy, even. She opened her mouth, and her words flowed naturally.
"I understand where your mind is. I have been there, and I spent a long time trying to understand what this destiny of mine was, without succeeding." She looked at him gently. "Just know that the words of the gods carry much more meaning than we mortals could ever imagine. It is not because you are chosen that your fate will be grand, but because your destiny is important that you were chosen." "You are not just a nobody. You are far more than that. I am sure of it, and Em'rel as well."
Biwidwi quietly stared at her for a bit, appeased by her words. The priestess in front of him was smiling at him, and he couldn't help but smile back before extending a hand. "Thank you." She took his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're welcome. Don't hesitate to come back. My name is Mendel, if you wish to look for me." He nodded at her words. "Mine's Biwidwi. It was nice meeting you."
His mind eased, Biwidwi made his way out of the temple. The sun was still shining, the city still buzzing with sounds. But it felt less opressing now.
