Dark Hope - Chapter 1 - Pan Town

[Mephiston]

In answer to Renard's request, the old farmer starts speaking:

"My name is Nando. I am now sixty-four years old, and have spent all sixty-four of those years living here in Pan Town. My father was a founder of the town and a farmer as well. This is a wonderful town, peaceful and prosperous for us all. Nothing bad ever happens here...until today.

He shakes his head, then looks to his son.

"Arael...
I should have discussed this with you many years ago...
But we have never talked about it, and you never broached the subject with me.
So I...chose to allow things to stay as they were... but..."

With a deep breath, he begins...

"Thirty years ago, I was working in our cornfield when I saw a man passing through the field. He moved slowly, weakened and tired, then fell to the ground, unconscious. I ran to see if I could help him. When I reached him, I saw that he had plumed wings!"
He looks at Arael's wings, and Arael flutters them slowly while watching them himself, as if seeing them for the first time.

"I took him into my home and helped him to recover his strength.
He seemed a traveler...although he was completely encased in a wonderful metal armor.
When he came to, he didn't even remember his name...

"He had wings and was beautiful, like an angel. And over the years, I have come to realize he personifies what I would imagine an angel to be, including..." and he hesitates for a brief moment, "remaining as I found him, and never aging. So, I named him for the child my dead wife would have named the child we never had: Arael. He found himself suited to the life of the farmer: tilling the hard earth, planting and harvesting the crops, and raising the livestock. From that day, we lived together as father and son.

"I think none of us here were aware of the gods' calling, and I never imagined Arael may be a "hero." Of course he's special; he has wings!
But I thought he was the blessed of the gods, and that he was a blessing the gods sent to me..
But now, I don't know what to think..."
He shakes his head in wonder and sorrow...

"Perhaps if he joins with you, he may find something more fulfilling of his destiny than this quiet farm life. Maybe he could find his origins...
...or at least some answers...
Although...should he decide to go with you...my heart will suffer much."

His eyes become full of tears as he reaches out to embrace his "son."

[Renard]

Renard watches the tender moment in silence, moved by knitted bond between 'father & son', and laments his own.

Once again, turning an emotional page, Renard speaks:
“From your lips to my heart, dear Nando, your words have struck true. And think not for a moment, that both you and Arael are not blessed to have had each other, by Fate or Chance or the gods that watch over either.”

“As soon as this enchantment of time has ceased and we are a little rested, our immediate concern will be the evil that lurks in the ruins in the north part of your town, noble Nando. And along with the courage and skill of Thonumian and Atrus’ swords, Ahkash’s bow and the wonders of Tänya’s lore, if Arael is willing to test himself against such that lies there—“ Renard looks long at Arael and smiles, “I am confident he may outshine us all.”

“As for ‘heroics’ -- ha! -- that is a word wrought only from deeds of honour bourn from the heart and not the conscious mind. And for my part --- I shall make an epic of your deeds, for brave Atrus, as ‘handy’ as I may be with my little pig-sticker,” he says patting his walking stick/rapier, “It takes the stage only when the passion of my heart outweighs the common sense of my brain.” And laughs at his self-deprecating remark.

And with that, Renard leans back upon the grass to rest his weary body and quietly starts singing ‘The Ballad of Arael and Kelhamar’
[ooc] it must be noted that Renard does seem to have a little difficulty remembering all the bits of this old song. But for those who listen to his quiet singing will pick up the epic story of a tremendous battle between good and evil --- a battle between an angel sent by Solaris to earth to fight against an entire army of daemons and their dark lord, Kelhamar…[/ooc]

[Mephiston]

[ooc]I want to add something to the Ballad. You all can understand that the pass to the west of the Freelands is called Celestial Pass in memory of that battle[/ooc]

[Thonunian]

Thonunain keeps an extremely careful watch for four hours, then (assuming nothing happens) wakes up Ahkash for his turn.

In the process "...by the way, make sure to end my trance a few minutes early so that I can meditate and refresh my magic."

He then enters trance until woken up.

[Mephiston]

Nothing happens during you watch.

[Renard]

After his ballad is sung and the self-appointed duties of Thonunian and Ahkash keep watch over them, Renard will take a good. long look at Arael <snese motive> and with an understanding tone, "I realize that you have no memory from the moment your father found you in the cornfield, but the little bits that you have heard and experienced so far ... do any flashes of insight break through the wall of loss?"

Then glancing between Nando and Arael, "Perhaps when time allows"--- unsure if this means after the stasis has worn off or after they have seen to the 'evil at the ruins' ---"your father will show you the armour you wore when he found you..."

[ooc] through Sense Motive, and using a fair bit of Diplomacy to treat them both with respect and kindness, try and determine if anything seems to be stirring in Arael's memory ...[/ooc]

[Atrus]

And for my part --- I shall make an epic of your deeds, for brave Atrus, as ‘handy’ as I may be with my little pig-sticker,”[/i] he says patting his walking stick/rapier, “It takes the stage only when the passion of my heart outweighs the common sense of my brain.” And laughs at his self-deprecating remark.

Atrus makes one short laugh at his comment, smiles slightly, and turns over to get some sleep. Soon his roaring snores tell all he is deep in another land.

[Mephiston]

Arael glances at Renard, then sits back and considers the question.

"No," he says, while shaking his head. "I don't remember a bit of my life before my father helped me. But..." he hesitates, "during the battle with the undead animals, I felt like it was my duty...it is strange and hard to explain. It is like something you used to do once, and then after a long time you take it up again...but that is all. Like knowing how to mount and ride a horse, even after years of not doing so. Perhaps I was once a fighter, or a soldier...

"Anyway, I had never heard that ballad before, nor has my father as far as I know."

The old farmer nods.

"Although, the creatures we faced seemed to prefer to attack me, which is why I was so hurt by the time you joined in the battle. Maybe they perceive something about me...but that is only speculation..."

[Ahkash]

Awakened by the Elf, Ahkash gathered his belongings together, arranged his pouches and weapons, then took up station outside the circle of firelight to keep watch for the remainder of their stay.

[Mephiston]

Then glancing between Nando and Arael, "Perhaps when time allows"--- unsure if this means after the stasis has worn off or after they have seen to the 'evil at the ruins' ---"your father will show you the armour you wore when he found you..."

"The armour is under the crumbled farm... we have a hard work to recover it"
The old farmer seems discouraged

[ooc]
if no one else need to ask questions, i will go on with the game[/ooc]

[Renard]

Arael glances at Renard, then sits back and considers the question.

"No," he says, while shaking his head. "I don't remember a bit of my life before my father helped me. But..." he hesitates, "during the battle with the undead animals, I felt like it was my duty...it is strange and hard to explain. It is like something you used to do once, and then after a long time you take it up again...but that is all. Like knowing how to mount and ride a horse, even after years of not doing so. Perhaps I was once a fighter, or a soldier...

"Anyway, I had never heard that ballad before, nor has my father as far as I know."

The old farmer nods.

"Although, the creatures we faced seemed to prefer to attack me, which is why I was so hurt by the time you joined in the battle. Maybe they perceive something about me...but that is only speculation..."

Renard nods and smiles. "I understand." With a nod of pride to Nando, says, "Follow the path of your heart and consciousness and be guided by wisdom."

Tucking his hands behind his head, Renard relaxes and waits (ie: sleeps).

[Menolly]

[ooc]
if no one else need to ask questions, i will go on with the game[/ooc]

[ooc]...please...
you have no idea how hard it is for me to sit silently by...

(although I will be AFK for a few hours)[/ooc]

[Mephiston]

After eight hours you all fell rested. Some of you needs to focus on his daily spells.

When you are ready to move, the time starts to flow again and you can see all the thinngs color slowly.

In a matter of seconds, the world returns to normal.

You are now free to go where you prefer.

just to clarify:
Tanya ran away minutes before the time stop and before the Chronomancer appeared.
She headed to the east toward the old ruins... alone...

[Atrus]

Atrus woke with a start.
After adjusting to the silence and stillness of the magick the clockman summoned, the return of birds and insect was actually...strange. He smiled at the thought that the real world should be stranger than a place where time stops.

A stood slowly. *sigh* I'm always slow when I wake. After checking his the straps on his greatsword and backpack, he looks to his companions.

"Well? Are we off to find that twitchy girl elf?"

[Ahkash]

Looking over to where the dour warrior rose and began preparing himself, Ahkash shrugged in reply.

"I'll follow along with the majority, although an elf more or less is usually of little concern to me."

He stowed away the whetstone with which he'd been honing his dagger, and sheathed the blade in his boot.

"Breakfast first?" he asked wryly.

[Thonunian]

Thonunian gets up slowly.

"Breakfast first?" he asked wryly.

He smiles just as wryly, and says, "Although that would be nice, I think that we shouldn't just let someone face what is supposedly a powerful evil alone...

We ought to help the Druid out first, then consider our next move..."

[Ahkash]

"Well, that's one vote in favour, and against breakfast I might add..."

He looked over at the bard...

[Atrus]

"Breakfast first?" he asked wryly.

Atrus grins. "I've got some crappy bread and even worse dried fruit. But it's eatable on long marches to hard beds, if that'll do ya."

[Mephiston]

[ooc]
are you leaving the campe? where do you want to go? :roll:
[/ooc]

[Renard]

Atrus:

"Well? Are we off to find that twitchy girl elf?"

Ahkash:

"I'll follow along with the majority, although an elf more or less is usually of little concern to me."
He stowed away the whetstone with which he'd been honing his dagger, and sheathed the blade in his boot.
"Breakfast first?" he asked wryly.

Thonunian:

He smiles just as wryly, and says, "Although that would be nice, I think that we shouldn't just let someone face what is supposedly a powerful evil alone...
We ought to help the Druid out first, then consider our next move..."

"For sooth, exclaims Renard, hiding a smirk, but chiding Ahkash, "Art thou as cold as your inanimate blade. Brushing the grass from his clothes as he gets to his feet, renard adds in a mock-stern tone, "Let us see to the need of this village and the twitchy elf -- er, I mean, Tänya."
And with a wink to the other three and a nod to Arael, "Come, let us be off to the ruins and see where Destiny leads some of us."

Renard starts off at a spry sprint in the direction of the ruins and over his shoulder to his companions he comically jibes, "T'would be a shame if a bard got there first ahead of the warriors and claimed his blade superior against the foes there."