Evellyn Godrick---All Things Fall

The greatest heartaches in Evellyn's life had occurred with her parents. Certainly, the consternation between the two parties was real and painful. But Evellyn had been raised by generally good people, in a safe neighborhood, had been given a good education, and had every material need met. Her parents could have been better in the support department, but they weren't evil. Evellyn had never encountered evil.

She didn't understand people like Hernando, who lived on the edge of the law, murdering for profit. She didn't understand Kirsi and Zorah, who held desperate secrets close to their hearts as they tried to forge some small bit of good in the world. She didn't understand the pervasive injustice faced each day by Silvus aka The Hood. She didn't understand Death's fascination with...death.

She had been strong, but sheltered. Now her city, the city she sang for, the city she dreamed about fighting for  in some heroic tale, had been revealed to her in all its shades of red: fire and blood.

In Mind Space, in that gossamer boundary between consciousness, she had confronted pain, evil, and heartache. She saw things as they really were.

She had always wanted to be the bard that not only sang about epics, but was in an epic. She was living the  tale, but she couldn't dare sing about it. Not while there was so much darkness surging in and around the city.

Sometimes, she wondered what would happen if she told everything. If it was all exposed, like a curtain being drawn back? If she wove a song of woe and truth for her listeners?

She would have to have proof that no one could doubt. And she would die for it. ,

She would go down in a blaze of glory. When the time came she would sing the truth to others. She would confront the fire that raged in the depths of the city.

Was she ready? 

She placed her flute in her spiked hands, her mouth to the tone hole.

Ready.

Sorrowsworn Ring

“Your faith is a strange one” she says to me.

I hold back unwise words...I hold back my scythe.

I dare not strike out against one in service to the Raven Queen. Who am I to question those she has called to her service? And yet she says to me, “Your faith is a strange one”? My faith should only be beheld as strange by those who know not faith! Those who know not the Raven Queen and her power!

It is not my place...I have no right to oppose the Raven Queen herself by questioning those she has appointed to represent her. It is through these very people I was allowed another vision...another glimpse into my destiny...into this cities destiny. Through these very people that I received this ring. Rampant with her power, better equipping me to do her will.

This ring is yet a constant reminder I do not know her ways. I cannot know her mind. Her reach is beyond my reckoning into many more peoples than I would deem worthy.

I must assume this new group of people somehow is within her plan. I will assist them as she leads me.

Hernandos Journal.

Wednesday, 9:00pm
Why shouldn't I kill him, don't I deserve to live? I can think of a hundreds ways to go about it.  It wouldn't be that hard really, he's is just an Eladrin that wants to feel like he is in control of us, that's the only reason he's been in Zarcharis so long. I can't even imagine why they want me too? Why, I ask you? Why kill this guy, is he just bad for business?  But then again, why say that your going to kill me if I don't?  The regular rate would have been fine? Do they not think I can?  Are they threatening me with my life because they think I can't kill one "holier than thou" eladrin?  I will gladly kill him for free, if it's to prove that I can, I have done that many times before.  I have proved myself to many men who question my ability, either by killing them, or the one they want me to kill.  However, I have never had a client ell me that if I don't, they will kill me..... Break a leg, hand, or take my money. yes, but not kill me.
Is he that important?  Sure he puts away a few thugs, who, by the way,  deserve to get caught seeing how sloppy they were working. That can't be that bad for business.  Most of them get out on bribes and/or escape anyway.  Was it them that tried to kill him before? How were they not successful then? I'lll tell you how, they were sloppy, and they didn't have me.


Thursday 11am
Couldn't sleep last night, thinking to much and came to a problem.
He hasn't done anything wrong.   I have always known why or at least had an inclining of why a person deserved to die, and in turn I deliver them to death.  But the more I know of this man, this Silvanus, the more I don't want to kill him. I'm sure he has done something wrong in his life, but nothing that would deserve this.  Dano would just tell me to not mess with these guys and just do the job and be happy, but that is the problem, if they are willing to kill me if I don't kill him, then what is stopping them from doing it after I do.  All they will have to do is come in and kill me right after. Dios Mio.....

Thursday afternoon
I need to know why.  I will ask him, and with a blade to his neck he will tell me why someone wants him dead.  If there is no answer, I will preserve my life and end his.  I'm might be able to ask the hood if he knows about this guy, if I see him before tonight.

The Pendant

Kirsi fingered the pendant now around her neck. She hadn't even been able to wear it after her husband's death, the memories were just too strong. Now it was more comforting, especially with the strange protection it seemed to be offering her. Since the city seemed to burning down around her, both the physical protection and the constant reminder that someone had cared for her were invaluable.
The past few days seemed like such a whirlwind, but Kirsi hoped that she could find more purpose in this than in fighting alone. However, she was having trouble forgetting the events at the guild house. She wondered if her lack of sympathy and remorse for the man they had killed were due to his twisted nature or to the coldness growing inside her. He certainly deserved death but she wasn't sure if the decision should have been so easy or made so lightly. As she touched the necklace she made a promise to be more cautious of the road she was walking down; she did not want it to be the same as that of the Efreeti.

Nightmare

Zorah awoke, a scream dying on her lips. The nightmares were changing. Usually, they centered around her husband finding her and dragging her back to a horror-filled existence. After waking up from one of those, she could almost always comfort herself with the fact that he was thousands of miles away, with no possible inkling of where she was.

This time, however, someone else had recognized her. And they were here.

She shivered, pulling the covers closer. The grey dawn crept in under the shutters, streaking the dark blanket Zorah hid under.

Afraid to be completely alone, she slipped off the bed and hurried into a grey dress. She donned a dark cloak and slid out of the building, trying not to sprint toward the Segrac Cellar.

Zorah had no idea whether the dream had been a premonition or simply a reaction to the events of the past few days, but as she skittered through alleyways and took precautions to avoid the main thoroughfares, she wondered if a new disguise was in order.

DM PREVIEW

He struggled against his bonds, screaming out in agony..

"the pain... the stress... the pull...."

He could feel it consuming him, his skull on the verge of exploding....

"Endure.... endure....."

He fought to maintain his focus...  to keep his wits... to survive

"..losing...control...."

The pressure built, reaching a climax, until suddenly

release...

            numb....

                     slipping away...

                                          mortality...

                                                            farewell....

DM POSt: Portent of Flame (Part 2 of 2)

Evellyn continued to walk the shadowy streets of her mind's perception of Zarcharis with a growing sense of anticipation. Ricin had come and gone, leaving her with very few answers and far more questions. There was one thing at least he did make clear, she has to use this moment to look for answers to help the others. The shade-structures continued to burn, surrounding her in eerie fires that gave no light, no heat, no hope; a perfect image of the city itself, a city losing every strand of hope it could grasp onto as they burned away in the fires of corruption, greed and despair.

The pulsing power continued to increase in intensity, a sign she took to mean she was nearing its source. Ahead of her a red glow began to build, emanating from within one of the shadow structures. She halted her march to better take in her surroundings. The buildings that formed around her had a more "solid" state to them and they seemed to be lined with a greater fire than the others she had seen in her time here. Many buildings began to burn around her, the flames spreading at random, but not without cause. All around her she caught fleeting images of creatures resembling humanoid-lizards wreathed in flame and flaming bats wheeling through the air above her. These denizens went throughout the area leaving a chaotic swath of burning structures in their wake.

"Time to see what else I might accomplish with you", she whispered down to her spiked gauntlets. Fearing not the danger she strode forward, determined to find the source of this disaster. The pulsing energy was nearly overwhelming yet she continued on. She pulled forth her flute and began playing a simple tune to keep herself focused and to counter the pervading evil with whatever good came from the sweet melodies she could play. She came to the building where the red glow originated and began to search for an entrance. She searched the perimeter, everywhere her eyes could see for any entrance, any way at all into the building, but none presented itself. Growing increasingly frustrated with her predicament she punched out at the structure as a last resort, unleashing all of her frustration and confusion on the shadowy mass before her and with the fury of the blows she found herself falling right through the wall before her.

She staggered to her feet as she attempted to regain her bearings. She surveyed the space around her looking for anything that appeared amiss. "This whole situation is 'amiss'", she thought to her self with a self-deprecating chuckle, "none of this makes much sense". Yet despite her doubt she could not, would not!, readily set aside the task Ricin had tried to give her, to help the others in anyway she could. The emanations of magic no longer pulsed here, it was constant; a continual state of magical energy poured into the room from some unknown source. Evellyn began to walk around and as she focused her mind more on her task the features of the building began to sharpen, no longer appearing as indistinct masses. The room's walls, wooden, came into focus as well as furniture and even the dimensions of the room; most importantly a door could now be seen leading to a back storage room within the complex.

She crept silently towards the door and as she approached she heard what sounded like excited chattering. Unsure of the effect she her opening the door would have in this "mind realm" she hesitated outside of the door. She pondered everything that had happened to her in the past few days, meeting her new "friends", Balthor's growing monument in the Cellar, the trials and seeing the true face of Zarcharis, meeting Ricin, the trip to the Stoneyard and its many dangers and now this. It seemed so unreal, like a myth or story that has no real ending; something the teller keeps making up as it goes along, each segment becoming more extraordinary than the last. "The stuff legends are truly made of", she thought to herself with a grin. Casting aside her concerns Evellyn pushed open the door and stood in shock at the site before her.

Five robed figures stood around a swirling mass of energy, a rift or tear in the very fabric of reality. Their arms were raised up, their bodies trembling with excitement; most horrifying of all were their faces, they were stretched into some macabre image of glee and terror, frozen, unmoving. Evellyn's eyes were locked on the spectacle before her, unable to deviate from the sight of fanaticism embodied. The perception of time slowed around her, from the rift flames leaped forth, licking the fanatics standing around, and as she watched the look of ecstasy grew.

Evellyn was finally snapped from her hypnotic state by a sudden roar from the rift. She looked towards the portal and there in the midst she beheld a form. It appeared small, as though approaching from a great distance, but it was getting closer. An aura of fear began to pervade the room..

The fiend approached and Evellyn looked into its eyes.

Rage. Anger. Hate.

Unchecked... uncontrollable, like the flames that seemed to comprise its body.

The fiend approached and her courage faltered. She must escape, she must warn the others... to flee... to run... the city was doomed to burn... nothing could stop this... no one could stand against the horror that approached.

She ran.

Through smoky streets and swimming shadows she ran. Her concentration slipping, the world around her gradually losing its shape, its textures, she ran. Only one thought consumed her mind:

"Escape"... but how?

She was stuck here, in her mind, there was no escape back to the real world. She would lie there, wherever there was, until the fires came and consumed her.

She stopped running and collapsed on the ground, despair threatening to overwhelm her. She fought to regain her thoughts, to "see" the world around her, "the truth of it", as Ricin had said. She raised her head and ahead of her she saw a white light gleaming, a beacon in the shadows, a glimpse of hope. Gathering any resolve she had left she lifted herself and walked towards the light. She stopped in her tracks, joy and confusion welling up inside her as she beheld the sight in front of her. Briefly she caught a glimpse of a woman, robed in white, staff in hand, walking towards her, and around her neck she wore an amulet that shined forth in a brilliant light. As the woman passed she felt an aura of cold, unnatural cold, pass her.

"Kirsi.... frozen soul...." the words came filtering back to her mind. Now at last she began to understand in part what Ricin was trying to tell her. Evellyn tried yelling to her but as she turned to where Kirsi was walking she had already faded from view.

"Now, if only Ricin had told me how to get out of here"!

She wandered the streets looking for a way out, searching for anything to help her escape from here, to warn her friends.....

DM POST: The Mind's Eye (Part 1 of 2)

Consciousness slowly settled upon her as she began to lift her head. No sooner did she open her eyes than another wave of dizziness swept over her already fragile mind. She fell back to the ground struggling to subdue the swirling thoughts, trying to grab onto one thing to focus on, a single thought or memory to cling to for direction. The suddenly midst the torrent she heard a simple tune played gently on a lute. She strained her ears to keep the tune in mind and slowly she felt control being restored. The tune still playing in the back of her thoughts she slowly opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. The sky above her was dark, no stars or moon shone across its entirety. She sat up cautiously peering out into the strange world she had awaken in; a world of shadows and.... nothing...


No... not nothing... but....


Flames....


Shadows coalesced into something resembling a structure, but swirling with darkness, insubstantial and yet very present and clinging to the edges, red flames giving no light or heat seemed to burn away at the structure without consuming it; and then as if carried on an un-felt wind they would return to a formless state.


She forced herself to her feet, whatever the danger, she would not face it lying on the ground. The music played on in her mind, strengthening her resolve, fueling her to move on despite the uncertainty. She stood looking around her, at the formless place stretching as far as she could see, at the flames that would dance just out of sight until they faded back into the shadow and smoke. There was no direction to take, no choice better than another. Shadows continued to coalesce and dissipate around her to form familiar shapes, images... memories.... all burning...


Zarcharis...


Those buildings so familiar, so distant, but truly that is where they belonged. The more she bent her mind towards the familiarity of her surroundings the more consistent they became; shadows coalescing into structures that remained, still swirling in the moving shade, still burning in the eternal flames. She began to walk the spaces, the roads, between the shadow-buildings, unclear of her direction but resolute in finding a solution to this puzzle. The sights became more familiar, shadows of the city she knew. As she wandered the shadowy fire-lined streets she began to sense a oppressive force, malignant, evil, powerful.... pulsing about her. She looked further ahead for the source of the emanations and before her on the road stood a hooded figure obscured in the swirling shadows. 


Never one to back away from a confrontation regardless of the potential danger she strode forward to faced this threat head on. Banging her spiked gauntlets together she broke into a run, ready to hit the robed figure with a flying tackle. Just as she was about to leap the figure turned towards her and her eagerness became relief when she stared into the eyes of Ricin.


Where? Who? How? and a thousand other questions flooded into her mind. She wanted to know where everyone else was, where she was exactly, and why and how could shadows burn?


Ricin stared at her with the same unyielding stare, nearly impossible to read. He nodded his head in greeting and then spoke to her saying, "I admit you were not what I expected to see here". His voice was deep and devoid of inflection or any notable tone, so even in every word and yet, she could hear him clearly.


"Where are we Ricin? How can you speak? Were you lying this whole time?"


"To your last question: No. The second shall be answered by the first: We aren't necessarily anywhere, and yet, we are.. in a sense anywhere you have the will to see".

Confusion was evident on her face at the cryptic answer. Needing no further prompting Ricin continued with his explanation. "We are not here.... more... we are just able to see here... our minds are here. I would estimate that you fell prey to the mind attacks of those individuals in my quarters, as I have, they seemed very keen on making sure I was incapacitated, though for what purpose I am not sure". 


"Ricin, you are not making any sense. What mind attack? What people in your quarters? What are you talking about?"


"Yes, that answer was not beneficial, I apologize. Upon return from the Stoneyard we were attacked by unknown assailants, an attack on our minds. I presume, you were affected more than the others, though for what reason I do not know. As for the others, they seem to be fine, and not here. As for here: This is not strictly a place but more of a matter of perception. What you see around you is what your Mind's Eye perceives. Very few people have the discipline to truly see it and fewer still can control it. My guess is with the overload of psionic energy, you were "jumped" here. The Mind's Eye has a way of revealing the truth of your perspectives and the world around you as you see it. So tell me: What have you seen here?"


"Nothing. Shadows, smoke, flames. It looks like Zarcharis, but burning, but not consumed. None of this makes any sense. You know that right?"


"Actually, to me this makes perfect sense. I frequent this state often and have done so for many years; and t is through this that I have found you all. I bent my mind to look at the city, to truly see it, and there I saw each of you, beacons against the despair that chokes this city of all hope. That is why I can speak here; the image of myself before you is a manifestation of my mind. You are in the same state of being, a manifestation of your own mind and it is truly a spectacle that we can share this moment." He paused a bit and seemed to be lost in deep thought. After many moments had passed he looked up and his face was set in a grave expression, "Your perception does not lie, this city burns, everyday... every night. Yet, even now there is something else. A presence, a power that I have never felt when I meditate. Something stirs within the city proper, something we must take action against."


"I felt it to, a pulsing power, strong... and.... evil"


"Indeed. Come my friend, let us look into this matter for as long as we can. I do not know when we will awaken but let us learn what we can so that we may benefit the others upon our return" He motioned for her to walk with him. She fell into stride next to him until he suddenly jerked as if in sudden pain. She watched as he grabbed his head and struggled to maintain his balance. He looked at her in a panic and quickly shouted, "I can't hold on much longer, something is pulling me away! Find out what you can! Help the others and do not worry for me! You", he struggled to spit the last words out, "must... help... them...." he fell to his knees barely able to form words. He looked up and with a last effort he cried out, "Kirsi... give her.... pendant..... the key....Frozen... Soul...". He looked up to the blank sky and let out a cry of anguish and the he seemed to melt away. As she stood staring in confusion and disbelief words came to her mind, almost like a whisper from the back of a deep cavern, "The music will bring you out"


Evellyn stood for just a second more to see if Ricin would reappear. When it became evident that no such thing would happen she steeled herself and made ready to set off to investigate the pulsing magic. Her head swam with so many questions and cryptic commands from Ricin but now was not the time to give in to confusion. She would learn what she could of her present predicament, then she would find a way to make her way back outside of her mind and help her new allies.