Honing the Form

Member created stories, poems, & other creative work.
jmecha
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Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

The Guild Hall was Silent except for the crackle of the flames in the fireplace, and Vale studied them with unblinking eyes. It had become a routine for him to quietly take advantage of the great hall while the others slept. It was during these hours he would practice his forms until the marble Lanceboard floor was slick with his sweat and himself crippled with exhaustion. Afterwards he would kneel before the fireplace and prepare water for his tea.

While the water heated he would use that time for honest introspection. He made an earnest effort to recall the ever-elusive truths of his Reverie, he would critique his own Forms and search himself for weakness. There was nothing to celebrate during these moments, it was never an accounting of victories or merits. No, these moments of the night were used specifically to focus upon his failings to make course corrections for the following day.

There was no denying that he was overwhelmed by the City of Splendors and its denizens. Nothing in his time within the Halls of the Kaliesh'erai prepared him for the distractions of Waterdeep. There was simply to much ever present and changing. Often it was madding to try and maintain focus in those crowded streets and bustling establishments.

Even conversations with individuals here were burdensome. Often, he would remain silent, struggling to make sense of the words of those around him, only to find they had managed to complete the entire conversation by themselves. Questions asked of him were rhetorical, and often opinions were falsely stated as known facts. It was as if a great many were more interested in using their voices to be heard, then they were in listening or taking the time to concern what was worth sharing.

Vale Clearwaters drank his tea and watched the flames. Soon he would mop the marble floor and then begin sweeping the great hall before the others awoke, as was his routine. He knew that Waterdeep was in it's own way just another abrasive surface on which the form could be honed upon.

It was his concern that in time the City would distract him, hone him into a form of it's choosing.
What mattered was that he continued to determine the shape of himself.
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by Rumple C »

:ninja:
12.August.2015: Never forget.
jmecha
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

Vale side stepped a hurried hand cart being pushed along recklessly by the merchant greedy to reach the market. Maneuvering through the crowds of Waterdeep had become a form of moving meditation for himself as he traversed the city. Currently his thoughts were upon those members of the Guild which he currently lived with, fought beside, and may in time come to form the Rrakkma he would need to succeed.

There was a disturbing gleam in Cragbrow's smile when he declared that now, Thunderbeard would work for him. Vale knew that what was once accepted as the hard and brutal banter of his dwarven companions may in truth hold some level of previously ignored malice and greed. The pair of them were durable and reliable companions who were capable warriors with enough experience and intellect to know that many battles could not be won by bravery and skill at arms alone. They worked well together move themselves from one advantageous position as the next across the battle field as easily as they alternated between use of their heavy shields and merciless attacks. Regardless of their skill at arms though, if there existed true greed and malice within them for each other and others, such would provide the enemy with all the leverage and handles needed to turn the Rrakkma upon itself.

Vale's ears twitched as he realized the motion above him. Reflexively he extended his strides to avoid the chamber pot being emptied out a second story window. The filth hitting the cobblestones was barely audible as the morning noises of the city awakening began to grow and hum.

Ash was a curiosity to Vale.
Where had this Duergar blooded Dwarf train?
Who was this Master of his that had transcended physical reality, and to what end?
Ash had spoken of The Way, and made claims that all Monastic Orders were simply different means to the same end. Ash had made claims that Planar Travel was always a step upon the road that needed to be traveled towards enlightenment and ultimately transcendence. These claims sounded like opinions mispronounced as facts to Vale.

His own training and studies consisted solely of self discovery and discipline, efforts to understand himself and develop an undivided mind. Much and more of what Ash said confused Vale and left him wondering. There were questions to be asked of Ash, and in time perhaps answers to be learned from him. There was some comfort in Knowing there was another within the Guild who practiced a similar disciplines to his own, but Vale did not know if there would exist strength in their differences or even what the depths of those differences were. So much of what Vale had come to know was learned through tomes and self directed practices. He knew there existed jealously within him for Ash having had the experience of studying under a Master.

Vale's eyes narrowed as he felt the tug upon his potion bandoleer, somewhere nearby was one of the Dweomervores. With a hand on the valuable alchemical potions he carried, he quickened his step and turned a corner to thoughts that began to examine Sarenna of the Spider's Ink.


There was nothing about her initial arrival that inspired confidence nor camaraderie towards her in his heart. The Guild as it was explained to him was a place for Adventurers needing help and willing to help, could find a home. Having been charged by the Warrior Takashi with accepting and aiding new members, Vale made an effort not to let his own feelings about Sarenna deny here access to the home she claimed to need or the help she would be willing to offer. Vale knew that in time she would either display admirable and earnest traits, and become a welcomed and valued member of the close knit community, or she would not. The choice would be hers ultimately to make, as it would be for all members of the Guild to continue their stay or to take their leave. Yet despite the hospitality shown to her and her freedoms intact, Sarenna appeared to insist upon taking every available opportunity to be continuously insulting to Vale as if he was some sort of unbearable authority figure that she had an adolescent urge to rebel against.

He shook his head slowly left to right before crossing the busy street, as much to look for cart traffic as he did in unhurried disapproval of Sarenna's behavior.

Vale could not help but wonder how much of the venom she injected into her words was intentionally cruel for the purpose of trying to harm others, or if her needlessly abrasive behavior was merely some form of defensive moat she has decided to rely upon to protect herself. A stagnant encircling body of putrid words and selfish behavior, designed to keep people out of her life where they might cause her, or her cause them harm. The truth may lay somewhere in the middle, and Vale accepted that he may never Know her truths, nor would he need to, or have to approve of them, for her to have a place within the Adventurer's Guild. He would not dismiss her though as the selfish and crass woman she appear to be. There was a reason she behaved as she did. If the energy she invested in making herself unlikable, and the energy she spent on warding others away could instead be used to gather the guild around her and inspire new levels of commitment and community amoungst it's members....then she maybe the most valuable member of the Rrakkma.

His thoughts drifted unhurried to the words of the fifth circle.

"Gith was but one. Her strength was such that it caused others to *know* their strength. And Zerthimon laid his steel at her feet."

With unhurried hands he opened the door to the guild and slipped inside. Vale closed the door behind him as to keep out the winds, and he gave Vana Swift a silent respectful nod of acknowledging as he passed her on his way to his room.
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by Peter_Abelard »

What a wonderfully motley crew that has invaded Korsan’s home. Very nice, J. Can’t wait to see where they all go next. :D
Character arcs are sharp, pointy little things. A little blood may spill!

Now Playing: Luva Si'nede, Olivus Angustian
Past Characters: Valyar Floshin, Sarenna Irithyl, Millicent Riverstone, Dev Revels, Catarina Helms, Fenris Estelmer, Arryn Temple, Penrose Hawke, Kara Ravensfell, Arana Belecthor
jmecha
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

The white linen gently floated down to the bed, and Vale began the work of tucking the corners and smoothing out the cotton. This was his first time making a bed. He had seen them before, though he had never taken his reverie in one. He knew that Ash’s room needed to be prepared for who might next occupy it, and the near mindless work of such was a welcomed distraction. It allowed his body a means to burn away the excess stress and energy of recent events while his mind focused upon them and the fallen. The making of the bed was the last task that needed to be done to finish preparing the room. As he stood to survey his efforts, he was left alone with his thoughts.

Ash was a mystery to him, and now may forever remain such. What were the truths of this Duergar blooded Dwarf who enjoyed philosophy and made claims about the requirements of transcending physical reality and the planar travel needed for enlightenment. What did he know of the Enemy that? What did he Know of the Way he spoke of? There Vale stood alone over the first bed he had ever made, feeling the loss of a friend.

Vale allowed the list of questions and potential answers to swirl about him like a growing storm for a moment longer before he took a deep breath in through his nose and slowly exhaled out his mouth. This practiced breathing was an effort to dismiss both the questions he had, and the feelings of loss he felt swelling up inside him for his companion. He closed his eyes standing alone in the well ordered room and worked to remember the details of the conversation he had shared with the gnomish Doctor, Luther Von Mufflebop.

There was far more unknown, then known about this matter. The Magister of the Northern Gate had recognized subtle differences in some of them City Defenders who had entered that Sewer entrance, and recognized the men we had fought besid the Ogres. Those were not members of the Xanthar Guild disguised as Waterhavian Defenders, those were Waterhavian Defenders who had decided to fight in earnest beside the Ogres. Mind control was suspected to be responsible for the small changes in the behavior of some who had entered that cave, and for the Guardians fighting beside the Ogres instead of against them.

Immediately Vale wanted to Know the Enemy was responsible. but Knew he did not Know. In truth he had doubts that the Illithid were involved. The more he reexamined the events he had witnessed and reviewed Luther Von Mufflebop's insights, the more he came to doubt the Enemy's involvement.

Yes, mental manipulations and mind control were the preferred means and methods if the Illithid, but what Vale had witnessed seemed more in line with a vulgar display of power then the machinations of the Enemy.

To what end would it serve the Illithid to attain control over members of the City Guard, only to use them as disposable warriors besides even more disposable Ogres?

There were so many more advantageous uses for making thralls of members of the City Guard. Control over such could be used to attain acess and eventually control over ranking officers or influential citizens or political leaders. Using them as fodder to fight and die beside Ogres, were not the tactics and strategies of the Enemy. This appeared the crude workings of someone abusing a power over the minds of others and lacking the experince or foresight needed to use such to it's full potential.

Vale slowly shook his head.

Regardless if the Enemy was involved or not, he was here to investigate matters such as this, and put a stop to them.

Vale slowly turned his gaze to the freshly made bed where Ash once laid his head. There was no Rrakkma prepared.....He Knew this meant he was unprepared.
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jmecha
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

Vale Clearwaters stood before the open window looking out and realized he had been lied to. He had once been told that if it was cold enough, it would be to cold for snow. His view of the Adventurer's Quarter and the bite of winter told him otherwise. He shivered while reflecting upon the choices that had brought him here, and the choices he had yet to make.

He was here to protect against the Enemy, locate and destroy them if he could.


He did not come to Waterdeep to lead an Adventurer's Guild or wage war upon a season.
A part of him insisted his conflict against the Aurlites was a distraction.

Auril and what she represented were not the Enemy, She was the Divine embodying of a season.
The Frost Maiden provided the People powerful and cruel lessons that were as valuable as anything else a People could learn. Loss, Pain, Suffering, Endurance, Survival, the importance of Preparation...these were her lessons. In truth, Vale had a deep respect for Auril, as well as the other Gods and Goddesses that made up the Pantheon of the Furies.

Umberlee, the Bitch Queen, was the vast unknown chaos that could bring cruel merciless wreckage or great bounty to those who dared to venture forth into such. Umberlee's demand of tribute was not a petty thing but a reminder to all that sacrifice is required of all of us, and we be to those who attempt to achieve great works without a willingness to invest of themselves into such. Ruin is what awaits those unwilling to invest in their own future.

Malar, the Beast Lord, taught that existence was uncaring and cruel. The weak will be made the victims of the strong. There was pleasure to be had in feeding the flesh, and horror in having your own flesh stripped from you. There existed no state of stasis, forever the competition continued, and woe be to those who allow themselves to become slow and soft easy prey.

Talos, the Stormlord, perhaps more then any of the others taught that life was not fair, existence did not care for you or your creations. The mighty and the meek fall before the storm all the same. All any of us can do is our best, and accept that sometimes even our best is not enough. Sometimes we must bend so we do not break, and if we are fortunate to survive we can always work to rebuild that which was broken. Mayhaps most importantly, the Storm Lord let it be known to all that there does exist a pleasure to be felt in the breaking of that which has been built.

These were not his enemies. These were the gods of the people of this world. They were to be respected and cherishes for the lessons they provided. They are what will be lost if the Enemy had it's way. They along with their lessons that brought Knowing to the People.

When he encountered the Aurlite Ranger within the Temple of the Selendrie, he Knew she spoke lies. He was impatient. He acted without the Knowing of the 7th Circle. He pressed and pressed until she resorted to violence to stop his intrusions upon her secrets. In doing so he made himself an enemy of the cult of the Frost Maiden.

If he instead would have used time as a weapon as he was taught, slowly and carefully learned the truth of the instead of acting upon his desire to know immediately, many of the mistakes that created danger and burdens upon himself and the other members of the Guild may have been avoided.

His thoughts returned to the images the Clergy Thunderbeard had divined.

A single snowflake spinning until it erupted into the uncountable flakes that made a storm.

The Coin who showed two faces looking in different directions.


Vale alone in a trackless sea of snow, trudging along and succumbing to the brutality of winter.


There was censuses between himself and the Dwarf that the first image was a warning that in time the storm world grown worse, the Ice Maiden's forces would grow stronger.

The Second image, the coin, was suspected to be a symbol of division, perhaps a warning that if allies are divided, the Third image of Vale alone in the winter cold waiting away would become an inevitability.

Vale for a time suspected the two faces represented himself and the Mercenary of the Lhuvendhead Trading Company known as Kal. The pair were working against each other with each of their individual focus upon their own goals. Vale was working against the Cult of the Ice Maiden in effort to prevent the coming of the Demon Kringus and the Yule Tide. Kal was hired through extortion to aid the servants of the Furies by fetching the powerful relic known as the Tide Pod to aid their efforts in summoning the Demon Kringus and create the Yule Tide.

Belief in the need to unite the two as one, Vale had made sincere effort to show Kal the importance of his choices and the power they held. Vale had presented to Kal the different possible outcomes of handing the Tide Pod to the servents of Selune instead of the Furies, and Kal choose to do so. In this Vale believed the two had become one, and in their acting as an undivided mind they may prevent the coming of Kringus and the Yule Tide. Yet a servant of the Storm Lord snatched the relic of the Tide Pod from their hands. Kringus was summon regardless of their efforts, and the Yule Tide rolled across the land.

Vale knew he was wrong. If the coin with two faces looking out from each other represented division, they represented a division more important then the differences between himself and Kal.

It was not something Vale wanted to accept, but denying the truth would only deliver him and others to greater failures and hardships.

Vale slowly clenched his fingers into tightly packed frozen fists at his side as the wind howled and his body shivered beyond his control. He then slowly shook his head.Vale Knew, he was no longer an undivided mind.

"A divided mind is one that does not Know itself. When it is divided, it cleaves the body in two."
VIII Circle

He had over extended himself. He had traded balance for power, in doing so lost his footing, and himself.

Vale was ill prepared to inherit the Warrior Takishi's responsibility.
He was overwhelmed by the position and it's duties.
He had become impatient with where his words failed him, and worked to resolve matters through swift action and sheer will. It was such reckless certainty and rash action that lead him to this icy precipice confronting choices he did not know how to make, and facing challenges he did not know how to overcome.

He stood there in the cold uncertain if what he should do while he shivered.

Part of him believed the fight against the Aurlites was futile and in continuing it he would be committing to a disservice against not only the Gods, but more importantly he would needlessly be endangering those he was responsible for safe guarding and mentoring. His fear was that continued fighting would only end with the name of the Guild in ruin and many of it's members needlessly slain. It was not to late for them to recover from the damage he had done and carry on without him. Their lives and reputations may fair better without him.
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jmecha
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

Vale Clearwaters reached to close the window with hands shivering from the cold, and admitted he was no longer an undivided mind. He felt shame in knowing his choices are what lead him here to this most undesirable crossroads of confusion and internal conflict. He felt shame in his repeated failures at being a Leader for the Guild. He slowly exhaled as his body continued to shudder from the extreme cold he had exposed himself to.

He needed to make a choice.
He needed to make many choices.
Each would be critical and hold consequences.
Most would be undesirable.
He decided to start with getting dressed.

Vale dressed himself slowly and methodically, making and effort to force his frozen and still shivering fingers to perform the functions he desired of them. Each finger was stiff an shook violently as he worked to slowly buckle his buckles and button his buttons. Despite the shuddering pain, a slow spreading smile came to grow across his face.

He was miserable, overwhelmed, suffering from his own failures, it was as it should be, and that is why he smiled.
He had been so focused upon his failures, he failed to see them as the lessons they were.

Yes he had unwittingly made himself the enemy of the Cult of the Frost Maiden.
Yes he had unwittingly invited slander upon himself and the Guild.
Yes his efforts to fight back have been met with failure.
Yes he faced foes so potent he was but prey before them.

Were these not the lessons of the Furies?

Great works require Sacrifice.
Venturing into the unknown will always hold the potential for ruin.
The relationship between Predator and Prey is never fair, and ever changing.
Storms maybe unstoppable and unpredictable,but they can be survived.
Winter is a time to Endure.

Vale decided that he would Endure, and Grow Stronger.

It was his responsibility to accept the lessons the Gods of Fury were willing to teach him, for they were the truths of this world and others, within them there were Knowings that should be held sacred. Knowings that in time may hone his form and better prepare him to defend this World and others from the Enemy.

It was not the time to fight the Enemy. This Winter was a time to grow lean, learn the lessons of hardship, setbacks, failure, and struggle to survive.

He had to accept his short comings and failures.
Learn from them, and grow from them.
He failed to stop the arrival of the Kringus and the coming of Yule Tide.
He failed to defend the Guild's name, and his own.
He did not have the Strength of Arms to face powerful Demons in direct combat.

He though had choices to make.
He had options.
There were battles he could fight, differences he could make.

He could not defeat the Demons of Winter, he though could work to help others endure, survive, and become stronger for it.

After dressing he painfully made his way downstairs, each step made with aching muscles and limbs still stiff and unyielding from the cold.

"Vana, have a summons sent for Nipsy Peanuts, esquire. I have a plan."

"Know that if you know a course of action to be true in your heart, do not betray it because the path leads to hardship. Know that without suffering, the Rising would have never been, and the People would never have come to Know themselves.

"Know that there is nothing in all the Worlds that can stand against unity. When all know a single purpose, when all hands are guided by one will, and all act with the same intent, the Planes themselves may be moved."
VIII Circle
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

*The Zartruss Hobgoblins moved to cut off their escape through the tunnels, and Vale used the Karach Blade to cut a path through them. He knew it was not pure.*

"Vilquar came to *know* that when Vilquar's eye has nothing left to see, Vilquar's eye is useless."
IV Unbroken Circle

Vale stood over the Karach Blade that laid upon the table before him. He had known not to trust those that guided him to it's presence within the region. He had also known that a Karach Blade in the hands of an undivided mind could cut through the toughest Demon hides. He had moved forward to find and recover the Blade, knowing it was a trap.

Now standing over and studying the blade, his mind slowly worked to understand the complexities of the trap that he had entered. This Karach Blade had....impurities within it. There existed the life ending essence of the Negative Energy Plane within the Karach.

Aglorus's theory as to why, was stark and disturbing, yet gave insight as to what purpose the blade may serve those who sent Vale to fetch it. Vale Knew he could not allow them to have what they desired, yet did not Know their plans to aquire it or how to counter them.

Vale knew he could not allow himself to move forward with the Eye of Viquar. The paths before him would be host to untold deceptions, false hopes leading to unspeakable destruction, offers of promise that would leave him and uncounted others extinguished from this life.

It would be best if the Karach was purged of impurities, and they were returned to which they came.....now to determine how and at what price.
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

*The evening snow piled higher in Kerrigan’s Square, and Vale watched it fall.*

The nights of his Magister appointed curfew were spent in contemplation of the myriad moving pieces. The effort to map the connections and patterns within his mind were not unlike the swirling countless snowflakes dancing upon winter's harsh winds. With his eyes closed he worked to eliminate all distractions and focus upon what was Known, and experiment with extrapolations to determine what out of the endless possibilities maybe probable.

He, Knew of the Karach's presence in the region and saw to Vale's being informed of it. The path between himself and claiming the Blade was a twisted one, and not without challenges.

A small curved metal plate inscribed with the Reign of Anger was found upon a Malarite Werewolf within the Westwood while working to gather regents for a newly discovered alchemy capable of warding against the petrifying abilities of the Ice Demons.

A similar metallic plate was found within the remains of a melting Ice Elemental that had slain members of the City Watch and interrupt their effort to see Vale arrested. This plate was inscribed with the Scripture of Steel.When the Magister inspecting the scene discovered it, Vale had felt...drawn to it.

*Vale opened his eyes and looked out across the square.*

Somewhere a Zerth was likely dead, and their personal effects were being laid across Vale's path. His mind could not help but ask, to what end?

*Slowly Vale shook his head and closed his eyes once more to slow his reeling mind and focus his thoughts.*

He...wants me to find them.
He...informed me of the Blade.
He...placed the Reign of Anger and the Scripture of Steel in my path.
He...Not only Knows me, but he Knows my Path well enough to predict where I will be....and he has the means to plant what he will there.

If He.....had the means to see a Malarite Werewolf carry the Reign of Anger, and embed the Scripture of Steel within a Frozen Water Elemental...where else may His unseen hand reach, and how?

*Vale took a deep controlled breath and slowly opened his eyes as he exhaled*

Why does He want me to find these effects?
Why see me armed with a Karach Blade and the Holy Texts?
Why plant them across my path as he does?

*Another controlled breath was taken and released*

I am of interest to Him.
He has plans for me.
He wants me to carry on as I have.

Vale knew little and less.
Vale accepted this, so he may move forward aware of his ignorance in effort to see such replaced with Knowing.

*The wind continued to wail and the snow fall appeared heavier then before.*


He Knows what I will do before I Know myself...
He is placing rewards among the challenges upon my path...

*Vale's silhouetted reflection in the window did not display his scowl.*

I am being groomed and made ready.
I am enduring a trial, and rewarded for my progress.
Last edited by jmecha on Wed Mar 13, 2019 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wynna
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by Wynna »

Excellent character insights!
Enjoy the game
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ayergo
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by ayergo »

Excellent. This sort of thing really helps bring different plot threads together for not only a single character, but for bringing everyone's stories together.
There's a place I like to hide
A doorway that I run through in the night
Relax child, you were there
But only didn't realize and you were scared
It's a place where you will learn
To face your fears, retrace the years
And ride the whims of your mind
jmecha
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

*The fire crackled before him, and Vale Clearwaters took a small sip of his tea*

Vale Clearwaters knew there was an effort being made to manipulate him, to groom him, and to guide him.

*Vale briefly smiled.*

He may know enough to make the effort.
He though does not Know enough to succeed.

*Vale watched the fire dance and recalled the Reign of Anger*

Know that we are the First People. Once all was chaos. The First People were thought drawn from chaos. When the First People came to know themselves, they were chaos no longer, and became flesh.

With their thoughts and knowing of matter, the People shaped the First World and dwelled there with their knowing to sustain them.

Yet the flesh was new to the People and with it, the People came not to know themselves. The flesh gave rise to new thoughts. Greed and hates, pains and joys, jealousies and doubts. All of these fed on each other and the minds of the People were divided. In their division, the People were punished.

The emotions of the flesh were strong. The greed and hates, the pains and joys, the jealousies and doubts, all of these served as a guiding stone to enemies. In becoming flesh, the First People became enslaved to those who knew flesh only as tools for their will. Know these beasts were the illithids.

The illithids were a race that had come not to know themselves. They had learned how to make other races not know themselves.

They were the tentacled ones. They lived in flesh and saw flesh as tools for their will. Their blood was as water and they shaped minds with their thoughts. When the illithids came upon the People, the People were a people no more. The People became slaves.

The illithids took the People from the First World and brought them to the False Worlds. As the People labored upon the False Worlds, the illithids taught them the Way of the Flesh. Through them, the People came to know loss. They came to know suffering. They came to know death, both of the body and mind. They came to know what it is to be the herd of another and have their flesh consumed. They came to know the horror of being made to feel joy in such things.

The Unbroken Circle is the knowing of how the People lost themselves. And how they came to know themselves again.


*Vale finished his tea and set the cup aside*

There are obvious lessons anyone could draw from the First Circle.
No doubt the One working to manipulate Vale knew that the first circle declared clearly that ignorance of oneself was a road that lead to being made a tool of others, and that Illithid were masters of such manipulation.

Did He realize that He was ignorant to himself, and simply a tool to a Master similar to the Illithids?
Vale suspected He did not Know.

The deeper lessons of the Reign of Anger required study and contemplation, of not only the text, but also of one's own life.
He did not Know the First Circle as Vale Knew it.
He could not, for He could not Know Himself.
He was not a Person, He was a Thing.

*Vale remained motionless as he continued to watch the fire, neither his body nor his expression revealing the comfort he found in this realization.*


Even if the deeper meanings of the Reign of Anger were explained to one such as He.....no....to one such as It.....It would not be capable of Knowing them.

Know that we are the First People. Once all was chaos. The First People were thought drawn from chaos. When the First People came to know themselves, they were chaos no longer, and became flesh.

Vale Knew that Chaos was the Unknown and Unknowable....it was that which all possibilities good or ill may spring from.
To Know the Chaos, made it Chaos no longer.....in Knowing it became potential realized, it became what was Known...and no longer Chaos.
Vale Knew that by the very act of coming into existence was an exchange of Potential for Potential Realized.
This is what was meant by the Words, "When the First People came to know themselves, they were chaos no longer, and became flesh."


With their thoughts and knowing of matter, the People shaped the First World and dwelled there with their knowing to sustain them.

Yet the flesh was new to the People and with it, the People came not to know themselves. The flesh gave rise to new thoughts. Greed and hates, pains and joys, jealousies and doubts. All of these fed on each other and the minds of the People were divided. In their division, the People were punished.


Vale Knew this to mean that even after emerging from the Chaos into Being, life lived continued to be full of possibilities, and potential for both good and ill. Every choice made, drew from the Chaos of Potential, and created Consequence. Even by deciding how one would make their choices, was a choice that bore consequences. By allowing their emotions to make their choices for them, the First People made the Choice of not deciding for themselves.
Current Characters: Aelenta Renvanith
Peter_Abelard
Gelatinous Cube
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by Peter_Abelard »

Love it.
Character arcs are sharp, pointy little things. A little blood may spill!

Now Playing: Luva Si'nede, Olivus Angustian
Past Characters: Valyar Floshin, Sarenna Irithyl, Millicent Riverstone, Dev Revels, Catarina Helms, Fenris Estelmer, Arryn Temple, Penrose Hawke, Kara Ravensfell, Arana Belecthor
jmecha
Illithid
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by jmecha »

*At the Plinth of all Faiths the crowd gathered to rally against winter, while Vale Clearwaters upon his hands a knees worked a soapy sponge across the marble lance board floor of the guild hall, leaving a gleam in his wake.*

Choices are that which define us.
The Choices we make, and those that we do not.

Vale understood that his choices had lead him to awaiting trial for the death of several members of the Waterhaivan Watch, and choose to do something practical during his House Arrest.
He worked to clean the Guild Hall Floor.
First with soapy water and rags, and then with dry rags to see the excess waters removed from the marble tiles.
When he was finished, he stood tall and arched his back and winched briefly from the pain.
Afterwards, with his cleaning supplies in hand he slowly turned his gaze towards the Memorial Stone.

The Warrior Takashi, He who honed his form and steeled his mind.

Vale paused to turn and once more examine the Lance Board Marble. It would be a disservice to himself, the Guild, and to Takashi if Vale was to spend so much time and effort cleaning the floor and it remain dirty. Slowly and methodically Vale's gaze swept over the Tile searching to insure he did not miss any spots, and that his work was as it should be.

Afterwards his thoughts turned to the Scripture of Steel.
Such came naturally to his mind, and often did when he thought of the Warrior Takashi.

Know that flesh cannot mark steel. Know that steel may mark flesh. In knowing this, Zerthimon became free.

Know that the tentacled ones were of flesh. They relied on the flesh and used it as tools for their will. One of the places where flesh served their will were the Fields of Husks on the False Worlds of the illithids.

The Fields were where the bodies of the People were cast after the illithids had consumed their brains. When the brain had been devoured, the husks came to be fertilizer to grow the poison-stemmed grasses of the illithids. Zerthimon worked the Fields with no knowing of himself or what he had become. He was a tool of flesh, and the flesh was content.

It was upon these fields that Zerthimon came to know the scripture of steel. During one of the turnings, as Zerthimon tilled the Fields with his hands, he came across a husk whose brain remained within it. It had not been used as food. Yet it was dead.

The thought that one of the husks had died a death without serving as food for the illithids was a thought Zerthimon had difficulty understanding. From that thought, came a desire to know what had happened to the husk.

Embedded in the skull of the husk was a steel blade. It had pierced the bone. Zerthimon realized that was what had killed the husk. The steel had marked the flesh, but the flesh had not marked the steel.

Zerthimon took the blade and studied its surface. In it, he saw his reflection. It was in the reflection of the steel that Zerthimon first knew himself. Its edge was sharp, its will the wearer's. It was the blade that would come to be raised against Gith when Zerthimon made the Pronouncement of Two Skies.

Zerthimon kept the blade for many turnings, and many were the thoughts he had about it. He used it in the fields to aid his work. In using it, he thought about how it was not used.

The illithids were powerful. Zerthimon had believed that there was nothing that they did not know. Yet the illithids never carried tools of steel. They only used flesh as tools. Everything was done through flesh, for the tentacled ones were made of flesh and they knew flesh. Yet steel was superior to flesh. When the blade had killed the husk, it was the flesh that had been weaker than the steel.

It was then that Zerthimon came to know that flesh yielded to steel. In knowing that, he came to know that steel was stronger than the illithids.

Steel became the scripture of the People. Know that steel is the scripture by which the People came to know freedom.


The Warrior Takashi Knew well that Flesh would yield to Steel.

The Manipulator had placed a small interlocking plate inscribed with the Scripture of Steel within a Frozen Water Elemental that attacked the Guild House while members of the Watch were present. When the scene was investigated by the Magister afterwards, this was found and only raised suspicion that Vale himself had summoned the Frozen Water Elementals. Now with his bucket and rags in hand, standing before the Memorial Stone, Vale wondered what It Knew of the Scripture of Steel.

Vale suspected It knew that Flesh would yield to Steel, and that It knew well acts of violence that could be committed with Steel.

Did It Know that by deciding to no longer be a Man, It had become Steel?
Did It Know that It had become nothing more then a tool subject to the will of the one who wears it?

The deeper lesson to be learned and Known from the Scripture of Steel is the power of Discovery.

From that thought, came a desire to know...
Zerthimon took the blade and studied its surface. In it, he saw his reflection. It was in the reflection of the steel that Zerthimon first knew himself.


When we study the Unknowable Chaos of Possibility, we can come to Know the Possible and the Probable.
From Chaos we can Create Order.
From Ignorance we can Create Knowledge.
One need have the desire to Know.
One need have the Will to face the Chaos and draw from it Order.
The Power of the People is the Power to make Choices.
Choices that can build upon each other in patterns of their own making.

The Scripture of Steel was not about the superiority of Steel Weapons when compared to Flesh.
The Scripture of Steel was about developing the Will to face the Unknown and make it Known.
The Scripture of Steel was about developing One's own potential to discover more then One knew was Possible.


Steel became the scripture of the People. Know that steel is the scripture by which the People came to know freedom.
Current Characters: Aelenta Renvanith
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Stormbringer
Owlbear
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Re: Honing the Form

Post by Stormbringer »

:wtg: awesome!
Current PC:
Former PC's
Saman Barb/Sorcerer
Kal Rogue/Ranger of Selune
Aiden Ketter Priest of Kelemvor
Kree (ubber not smart Barb)
Past PC: Jena Steel | Hamar Marrion (Marcus)and many other dead PC's
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