An Encounter in Darkstone

This account comes from the hand of Tanager Skydancing. It depicts a meeting with Eryael Ladrinyth, the Rose of Mularos.

[Shrine of the Jackal]
Once elegant, but now ruined, stained glass windows show this was once a chapel.
A smooth slab of obsidian seems to suck up all the faint light that falls upon
it, and gives back only darkness. On the slab, in sharp contrast, sits a statue
carved of glittering crystal that bends and twists the few glimmers of light
left into a mockery of beauty. The question remains as to just what has been
worshipped in here of late and you like not the thoughts it stirs. You also see
a smooth black mein door.
Obvious exits: down.

You put a gilded firebird-etched longsword in your tapestry sheath.
You put a gold-etched glaes and ora shield in your scarlet pack.

You say, "All I have wanted in this world."
You say, "All I have sought in this world."
You say, "All I have yearned for in this world."
You say, "You."
You say, "Have destroyed."
You say, "Jacinto."
You say, "Sithias."
You say, "Tolwynn."
You say, "Silverphenix, at least, not-- protected in moonlight."
You say, "Bevan."
You say, "And now...."
You say, "You, and Oleani, have destroyed the hope I had."

The walls and floors creak under some gigantic weight as a loud, shrill whistle
nearby causes you to hold your head in agony.

You say, "Turinrond tried to burn down this shrine, perhaps... but he was not a
fire mage."

>snarl
Ooh! That felt great!

You say, "I am."
You say, "Burn."

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Firestorm...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture.
You look up to see a dark cloud begin to form.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

You throw your head back and howl!

You notice the cloud begin to churn and rumble!
The cloud turns deep crimson as a gust of hot wind blows through the area!
The heat emanating from the cloud is nearly unbearable! Whatever is going to
happen should occur real soon now.
Suddenly a deadly shower of liquid fire falls from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You throw your head back and howl!

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Minor Fire...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture at a crystalline statue.
You hurl a stream of fire at a crystalline statue!
The crystalline statue glows with a warm aura then quickly cools off.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Minor Fire...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture at a crystalline statue.
You hurl a stream of fire at a crystalline statue!
The crystalline statue glows with a warm aura then quickly cools off.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You say, "You wanted me, well I have come...."

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You say, "I have come, Sheru. And I have come to destroy."

You stub your toe trying to kick the statue!

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You say, "You have destroyed everything I worked for, everything I sought,
everything I loved..."

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You say, "All I have left is my voice and my fire."
You say, "Burn."

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You exclaim, "Come on out and burn!"

You hear lilting laughter from somewhere nearby.

You belt out, "Get out here and burn!"

Chaotic flares of multicolored light rise up from the floors and skitter along
the ceiling.

Suddenly there is a faint tingling sensation that seems to course through your
body, you feel as if the energy surrounding you is weakening slightly.

You feel your extra strength departing.

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

You throw your head back and howl!

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deep crimson of the cloud begins to fade.

(Tanager twirls madly beneath the crimson cloud.)

A quiet wind disperses the cloud.

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Firestorm...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture.
You look up to see a dark cloud begin to form.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

Suddenly a deadly shower of liquid fire falls from the cloud!

You scream!

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Minor Fire...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture at a crystalline statue.
You hurl a stream of fire at a crystalline statue!
The crystalline statue glows with a warm aura then quickly cools off.

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!
The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Minor Fire...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture at the obsidian slab.
You hurl a stream of fire at the obsidian slab!
The obsidian slab glows with a warm aura then quickly cools off.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

A soft breeze wafts in, bringing with it the scent of roses as it disperses the
cloud into little more than a sigh on the wind.

The deadly shower of liquid fire continues to pour from the cloud!

Your jaw drops.

(Tanager stares around wildly.)

Your hands glow with power as you invoke the phrase for Firestorm...
Your spell is ready.

You gesture.
You look up to see a dark cloud begin to form.
You have overextended yourself!
You're in heavy shock!
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.

You lose control of your muscles for a moment as you are wracked by a fit of
convulsions! They subside just as suddenly as they came.

You suddenly stumble for no apparent reason.

You say, "If I have lost everything, I will not lose this--"
You say, "I will not lose my battle here..."
You exclaim, "Come out, Sheru! Or any of your minions!"
You say, "Come out and die--"

You tremble with rage.

Hideous black flames leap down toward you from the ceiling, then dissipate,
leaving no remnant but the foul stench of singed flesh.

Suddenly there is a faint tingling sensation that seems to course through your
body, you feel as if the energy surrounding you is weakening slightly.

The silvery luminescence fades from around you.

You suddenly stumble for no apparent reason.

You hear a soft voice gently say from somewhere, "A dreary place, my lovely...
but if there is one reason I do so love keeping my eye on it..."

You say, "For Turinrond, for Jacinto, for..."

(Tanager stares wildly around.)

>snarl
Ooh! That felt great!

You hear a soft voice gently say from somewhere, "Is that so many torn souls end
up here, in some sort of dire quest for their own lives..."

You say, "Jackal, you do not deceive me."
You say, "Come out and dance with a firestormer. Come out and die...."

You lose control of your muscles for a moment as you are wracked by a fit of
convulsions! They subside just as suddenly as they came.

You hear a lilting laugh once again.

You tremble with rage.
You bravely hold back your tears, your eyes glistening with pain.

You ask, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
You throw your head back and howl!

You hear a soft voice gently say from somewhere, "Jackal? Oh, my lovely... you
should be glad I am not. They are brutal. They would not even speak with you.
Would not even look at you. Would not even know the potential... the depth of
your beauty."

A cold shiver runs up your back and you tremble ever so slightly.

You exclaim, "...who is there? Show yourself!"

A single crimson rose petal drifts to the ground and disappears in a puff of
black smoke. As the wisp rises, it enhances the thin form of a man leaning
against the statue, his face hidden in the tendrils of his hair.

You see Eryael Ladrinyth the Mularosian Pain Lord.
He appears to be in his 20's, has short, curly light brown hair, emerald eyes,
and dark skin.
He has faintly visible scars across his exposed skin.
He is in good shape.
He is wearing a soft white cloak trimmed in dark burgundy velvet, some light
grey ankle-tie sandals, and a loose-fitting white robe hemmed with pale grey
silk.

You stare at Eryael.

You ask, "You are a priest of this place?"

You clench your fist.

Eryael waves a hand in an airy fashion.

Eryael says in a soft voice, "No, my lovely. Just someone who has an eye for
beauty, and recognizes places the angry and shattered seek."

You stare at Eryael.

(Tanager slowly unclenches her fist.)

You say, "You are an empath."

Eryael says in a soft voice, "You could say that."

A brilliant bolt of pure energy flashes across the ceiling!

(Tanager glances warily up before looking back at Eryael.)

You say, "Whoever you are..."
You say, "I have no battle with you."
You say, "If this is not your place-of-worship."
You say, "And if you do not serve the Serpent."

Eryael cracks another hint of a smile.

Eryael says in a soft voice, "Is it? Hmm."

You notice the faint image of yourself disappear.

You say, "Whatever fate comes, I am here to face it. I do not care any more if
the Jackal and all his minions devour me, so long as I strike first."

Eryael suddenly leans back against the statue, and simply disappears.

You say, "But I do not wish to harm any bystanders in the ma..."

You stare.

(Tanager stares at the statue.)

You narrow your eyes.

You can't think clearly enough to prepare a spell!
You don't have a spell prepared!

Tiny pinpoints of light burst just over your head!

(Tanager starts a gesture of spellcasting, then swears helplessly as her hands
fail her.)
(Tanager stares silently at the statue.)

You close your eyes for a moment.

(Tanager stares at the statue a moment longer.)

You are wearing a shimmering crimson flamerose, some delicate dark-tinted
spectacles, a delicate gold vaalin chain, a crystal amulet, a silver-traced red
dreamstone pendant, a fiery scarlet pack expertly tooled with a flock of soaring
firebirds in mid-flight, a raven black leather lysard case, a jade green leather
jacket, a scarlet taffeta blouse, an antique silver armband, a jade green silk
sash, a gold-fringed ruby red silk skirt, a nautical tapestry sheath, a
salamander skin pouch, an ornate golden leather music satchel embossed with
firebirds and exotic flowers, a tattoo of winding flower petals and some
red-gold beaded goatskin moccasins.

You have a case of sporadic convulsions.
You have old battle scars on your right leg, an old battle scar across your
abdominal area, several painful-looking scars across your back, and developed
slurred speech.

Maximum Health Points: 100
Remaining Health Points: 100

Maximum Spirit Points: 10
Remaining Spirit Points: 10

You survey the area.

You remove a gilded firebird-etched longsword from in your tapestry sheath.
You remove a gold-etched glaes and ora shield from in your scarlet pack.

Barely muffled blasts of thunder from somewhere above the castle rock every
stone, every brick, every nerve in the beleagured old fortress.

You gaze heavenward.
You slowly and deliberately empty your filled lungs.
You turn around.

>go door
BONK! You smash your nose.

You blink.

>[Shrine of the Jackal]
Once elegant, but now ruined, stained glass windows show this was once a chapel.
A smooth slab of obsidian seems to suck up all the faint light that falls upon
it, and gives back only darkness. On the slab, in sharp contrast, sits a statue
carved of glittering crystal that bends and twists the few glimmers of light
left into a mockery of beauty. The question remains as to just what has been
worshipped in here of late and you like not the thoughts it stirs. You also see
a smooth black mein door.
Obvious exits: down.

You shake your head.
You mutter something inaudible.

You feel a faint touch upon your neck.

You turn around.

>down
[Castle Darkstone, Tower]
This room is in surprisingly good condition. The walls are solid and unbroken
and there are even some furnishings in good repair to be seen. Perhaps a
guardroom or entry hall, it now seems to do duty as both a bedchamber and
library. A rough but servicable bed sits in one corner and a massively solid
blackened oak table sits in the center of the room with some ancient
leather-bound books upon it. A woven tapestry hangs on the far wall, heavy and
black as primordial sin. You also see a steep staircase.
Obvious exits: out.

>go stair
[Shrine of the Jackal]
Once elegant, but now ruined, stained glass windows show this was once a chapel.
A smooth slab of obsidian seems to suck up all the faint light that falls upon
it, and gives back only darkness. On the slab, in sharp contrast, sits a statue
carved of glittering crystal that bends and twists the few glimmers of light
left into a mockery of beauty. The question remains as to just what has been
worshipped in here of late and you like not the thoughts it stirs. You also see
a smooth black mein door.
Obvious exits: down.

You flinch.

You ask, "Are you still here?"

You bite your lip.

(Tanager stares around a moment longer.)

You ask, "Hello?"

A soft voice says, "I am wherever beauty goes. I can feel the pulsings of your
heart, my lovely."

You say, "You compliment me. And I am complimented."

Coppery tasting bile rises in the back of your throat, as a wave of intense
vibrations courses through the room.

You say, "Do not let your words guide you astray."

A soft voice says, "Broken? Torn? So many things."

You say, "Only danger comes to those who know me, only madness to those who love
me."

Tanager smiles bitterly.

You say, "The list is getting longer, every day. You are better off out of my
presence."

A soft voice says, "Oh, my my. The weave of mirror certainly is effective. You
do not know me, do you?"

You ask, "Should I?"

You frown.

You say, "I have never met you before, in my memory."
You say, "If it fails me, I ask you forgive me."
You say, "It has been a long night."

You hear another echo of lilting laughter from the depths of the castle, and a
rose petal gently drifts down from above.

You slowly and deliberately empty your filled lungs.

Searing, pale blue light illuminates every corner of the room for an instant,
then, just as suddenly, flickers into utter darkness for several seconds before
all returns to normal. Or does it?

You put a gilded firebird-etched longsword in your tapestry sheath.

You say, "I might have remembered the roses, if we had met. You seem to have an
eye for them...."

A soft voice says, "You may call me..."

(Tanager reaches up and smooths back the petals of the flamerose in her hair.)

A word drifts in on the wind, softer than a feather's touch, "Eryael."

You feel the blood drain from your face.

You remove a gilded firebird-etched longsword from in your tapestry sheath.

You move into a defensive posture, ready to fend off an attack.

You say, "Sorrower."

A cold shiver runs up your back and you tremble ever so slightly.

A soft voice says, "And you one so clouded with sorrow, rage... confusion. You
drew me. How could I resist?"

You say, "I..."

You hear another trickle of lilting laughter from all around you.

Shadows around you fragment and leap toward the ceiling then explode in a flash
of energy that leaves you with a queasy stomach and cold sweat covering your
forehead.

You suddenly stumble for no apparent reason.

You say, "You are here to destroy my home."
You say, "I did not come here to battle you. I did not dream you would be
here."

A soft voice says, "Oh, destroy... politics and pish-posh. I am in league with
the others for a very different reason, my lovely."

(Tanager glances around warily.)

You fall back into a neutral posture.

You ask, "And why would that be...?"

A soft voice says, "You came here for a battle, an affirmation or an end to what
you are. But you do not realize, my lovely... there are those who would accept
you for what you are. Love you for what you are. For what you are can be
beautiful."

Chaotic flares of multicolored light rise up from the floors and skitter along
the ceiling.

You say, "So I have been told."

(Tanager's chuckle holds more of sorrow than humor.)

You say, "I am a weapon that bleeds, but I bleed for the Landing."

A soft voice says, "And there's the one who tears at you even now. Such a
pretty sensation."

You say, "And I take no pleasure of it."

You flinch.

You say, "My Guard waits for the touch of his Empress, to take him from this
place forever, believing he has failed."

You say, "Turinrond, I have sworn to leave in peace."

You say, "My word is my vow."

You say, "It is his thought, but I will not respond."

You slowly and deliberately empty your filled lungs.

You say, "I see why Tierus and Siwas sought you."

Searing, pale blue light illuminates every corner of the room for an instant,
then, just as suddenly, flickers into utter darkness for several seconds before
all returns to normal. Or does it?

Suddenly there is a faint tingling sensation that seems to course through your
body, you feel as if the energy surrounding you is weakening slightly.

The brilliant luminescence fades from around you.

A soft voice says, "Such endings to things... they never think of the eternal."

Something scratches along the back of your neck as a surprisingly warm wind
whirls through the chamber.

You say, "He thinks only of the eternal. He believes this place will be Hers in
the end, and that--"

You flinch.

You put a gilded firebird-etched longsword in your tapestry sheath.

(Tanager rubs the back of her neck, glancing around defensively.)

You say, "And that it is like a blossom... short-lived, but beautiful for it,
and worth defending."

A soft voice says, "I do not think in terms of ending, my lovely. I think in
terms of neverending."

You stare at a dark crimson rose petal.

You ask, "Are you in the mood to elaborate?"

Cold, clammy fingers of darkness reach out to caress the hair at the back of
your neck, sending small shockwaves through your skull.

You flinch.

A soft voice says, "Beauty is everywhere. I see the spark of it inside you. It
can be nurtured... it's nurtured even now. Nurtured by your life. You are the
sword, but you cut yourself, too..."

You say, "You seek those gifted."
You say, "You have found a cripple."
You say, "And one who is not blind to the road you seek to offer."

A piercing, lilting laugh echoes forth from the surroundings.

You say, "I did not walk it then. There is no cause for me to walk it now."

A soft voice says, "You need not sense the pain in others, my lovely. You are
enough. You are your own work of art. Your own mold. Just... you." The last
word comes in a near-breathless sigh that rebounds across the cavernous chamber.

You close your eyes for a moment.

Pale blue mists seep through the walls, settling like a malodorous cloak onto
your clothes and skin.

Mnar just arrived.

You say, "I am gifted by the Somber Lord and the Bardic Lord. It is naught of
your Lord's crafting."

You see Mnar Akurion the Scout.
He appears to be a Half-Elf.
He appears to be young. He has brooding blue-grey eyes and fair skin. He has
shoulder length, amber hair worn in a single braid. He has a delicate face and
slightly pointed ears.
He has a tattoo of a white skull on a field of black on his neck.
He is in good shape.
He is holding a pale dim black rolaren longsword in his right hand and an
engraved golvern buckler in his left hand.
He is wearing a crystal amulet, a gold ring, a golden glaes spider charm, a
braided black leather hair tie, a dark leather pack clasped with a pair of
interlocking copper spirals, some fog-grey stalking boots, a pale spectre skin
sheath bound with a tangled silver skein, some dark spidersilk breeches, a black
watered silk weapons harness inset with a tarnished copper spiral, a tiny
crystal vial suspended from a braided golvern chain, a copper earring hung with
three nightshade-twined nesting crescent moons, a dark leather Dhe'nari scout
cloak, a ruby amulet, a set of dark ring armor enwreathed with a skein of black
ora, some sable grey gloves stitched with leathern knuckle guards, and a
silver-edged watered silk satchel.

You glance at Mnar.

You flinch.

You take a few steps back.

You do your best to conceal a dark crimson rose petal.

Mnar glances at a dark crimson rose petal.

You stare at Mnar.

Mnar glances at something on top of the obsidian slab.

On the obsidian slab you see a crystalline statue.

Mnar says, "Please, don't let me interrupt..."

You say, "You do not understand."

You say, "The Painlord is here."

Mnar raises an eyebrow.

You glance at a crystalline statue.

You say, "I..."

You stare at Mnar.

Mnar says, "Iacinto tells me that you've been under a lot of stress lately..."

You feel the blood drain from your face.

You say, "No."

You say, "I came here to fight, not pray."

Mnar says, "He's concerned about you."

You say, "He's...."

You slowly and deliberately empty your filled lungs.

A sudden chill races down your spine as you notice the floor pulsate beneath you
for a brief moment.

Faint tracings of static electricity begin to crawl up and down Mnar's body, as
if the energy surrounding him is weakening.

Mnar seems to lose an aura of confidence.

A soft voice says, "You expect a battle. You expect an end. Expect something
more, my lovely. Expect life. Expect something that never ends, expect that
which will always be constant in your life - you know what I speak of. Cherish
it. Nurture it. And it will wrap you in its comfort."

You say, "He does not have my permission to die."

You flinch.

You say, "There! You heard."

You glance at Mnar.

The rose petal drifts lazily along the ground, and a quiet sigh brings an end to
the palpable feeling of someone watching you.

Mnar leans back.

You think to yourself, "Didn't he?"

Mnar frowns.

You ask, "Didn't you?"

Mnar says, "Maybe."

You ask, "What do you mean maybe?"

Babbling again, eh?

You say, "Either you heard, or you didn't--"

Mnar glances at a dark crimson rose petal.

You stare at a dark crimson rose petal.

You say, "He was here."

Mnar says, "Well.."

A cold shiver runs up your back and you tremble ever so slightly.

Mnar asks, "Even if he was, what of it?"

(Mnar looks over his shoulder.)

You lose control of your muscles for a moment as you are wracked by a fit of
convulsions! They subside just as suddenly as they came.

Mnar furrows his brow.

(Tanager finally manages, "...be careful...")

Chaotic flares of multicolored light rise up from the floors and skitter along
the ceiling.

You gaze heavenward.

You stare at a dark crimson rose petal.

Mnar asks, "Are you alright?"

You stare at Mnar.

You ask, "Jacinto is waiting on my word to kill himself, and you ask if I'm all
right?"

Mnar says, "Aside from, well, being here..."

You tremble.

You say, "I..."

Mnar says, "We could go talk to him, back in town... where this spirit can't
reach us."

You stare at nothing in particular.

You stare at a dark crimson rose petal.

You put a gold-etched glaes and ora shield in your scarlet pack.

You pick up a dark crimson rose petal.

You take off a shimmering crimson flamerose.

(Tanager compares the petal to the flamerose for a silent moment.)

You close your eyes for a moment.

You slowly and deliberately empty your filled lungs.

You turn to face Mnar.

(Tanager opens her eyes again, visible as a faint flicker of motion behind her
dark-lensed spectacles.)

The bright luminescence fades from around Mnar.

You say, "This shrine has stolen my spells."

Mnar nods to you.

Mnar says, "All the more reason to leave."

You put on a shimmering crimson flamerose.

You nod.

You glance at a dark crimson rose petal.

Deep rumblings, like the moans of a thousand tortured souls, lurch through the
room and beyond, echoing through the old castle before fading into a dull,
insistent hum.

You survey the area.

Mnar clasps your hand tenderly.

Mnar asks, "Shall we?"

You nod to Mnar.

You remove a gold-etched glaes and ora shield from in your scarlet pack.

You say, "We shall."

Mnar nods.

Tanager smiles sadly.

(Mnar gives the room one last, furative survey.)

Mnar's group just went down.

Go back to the gathered Lesser Scrolls.