AMIA ARCHIVE • View topic

As the sun sets over the fetid swamps of the Lowlands Delta west of Cordor, twilight descends and the first stars of the constellations begin to twinkle in the sky over the Commonwealth City. Someone at a telescope west of Cordor notices it first, as the lens courses over the roof of the former Girls' Academy of West Cordor - a shimmering sheen of light high in the air over the city.

People in all districts look out through their windows or step out into the street, or into the open air plazas in the Southern and Eastern districts, to commune and observe a scintillating natural phenomenon.

Curtains of multi-colored light wave in the sky, sometimes obscuring entire constellations but nonetheless giving the Commonwealth a unique glow all of its own. The waters of the canals still in the absence of a strong wind, and the reflection of the sky in the water creates a visual feast for the eyes. Merchant stalls set up around the canals to take advantage of the onlookers and sightseers and the farmers who make a pilgrimage from the lands north of the city proper, where the lights are for some reason not so easily seen, and through the gates of the city itself to marvel at the heavens.

Father Redweth is overheard to remark, "Ha ha, it appears the Morninglord sends his blessings even as the sun has set. These lights are His reminder to us that he watches us all, and is not made blind to our prayers just because we're in the dark of night."

Several of the faithful of Lathander have an unusual evening celebration, giving praise to the Morninglord as though the aurora borealis were a "dawning" event all of its own.

The Temple of Waukeen is equally reverent, and Lady Tristana nods approvingly from the gilded balcony of the opulent temple. "Once already has the Merchant's Friend made the waters of our fair city run with the color of gold; now she hangs dyed, silken tapestries from the very heavens themselves, banners to praise our improving trade. Let us all enjoy the full gift of their radiance."

And so the Temple of Waukeen dims the usual golden shafts of light that rise from its rooftops and illuminate much of Cordor Square in the government district, leaving the atmosphere to bask in the glow of these strange lights, which creep through the sky, serpentlike, southwards over Cordor Bay, bending into a northeasterly direction and ending somewhere in the east over the open water.

Willow, having visited Cordor that day to drop off a copy of her new book for the Cordor library, free of charge of course, looks up and watches the natural oddity.

Hmmm...

She thinks to herself, "odd to see Northern Lights on Amia... Not totally unheard of though, I'd suppose." She watches the light display move off before heading toward the Northern exit. She stops herself before she does so and heads back to the library. She looks through astronomical and meteorological information available to see if she can find anything on past Aurora phenomenons on the isle of Amia. She goes as far as asking the Oghmites for help.

Excuse me, I don't know if you saw just now, but we just had some Northern Lights; Aurora Borealis, or simply Aurora, as they call it. I was curious if you knew of any past events of such nature here on Amia. Maybe something recorded somewhere here?

Mina would be in the Southern District gazing at the sky and enjoying the view with her children snuggled close.
Her smile would not leave her face as she ponders on the 'sign' in the sky with hope in her heart.

Gorthod would wander down the streets of Cordor whistling idly, he'd cast a glance to the sky and then another to confirm what he sees. He'd glance around as if to discover the cause down some darkened alley before running from the city flailing his arms around in an irrational panic.

Nelene sits in the Storyweaver's courtyard, showing the lights to her "youngin's". Pointing out different bands of colours to them, and letting them tell her about it. Uneducated in the ways of magic, she knows nothing more than that they're pretty, and she and the children marvel in equal amounts.

Zelly's wanderings lead her to a point where she sees this Aurora Borealis and she immediately leaps and flies up onto a tall building to look up at it. She doesn't do or say anything, but makes her way back to the Monolith once she's done observing.

o0GuNz_N_RoSeZ0o wrote:

Willow, having visited Cordor that day to drop off a copy of her new book for the Cordor library, free of charge of course, looks up and watches the natural oddity.

Hmmm...

She thinks to herself, "odd to see Northern Lights on Amia... Not totally unheard of though, I'd suppose." She watches the light display move off before heading toward the Northern exit. She stops herself before she does so and heads back to the library. She looks through astronomical and meteorological information available to see if she can find anything on past Aurora phenomenons on the isle of Amia. She goes as far as asking the Oghmites for help.

Excuse me, I don't know if you saw just now, but we just had some Northern Lights; Aurora Borealis, or simply Aurora, as they call it. I was curious if you knew of any past events of such nature here on Amia. Maybe something recorded somewhere here?

A day's worth of literary investigation reveals that aurora are not common to Amia at all. There are accounts of the effect occurring farther north in bumpkin Forrstakkr, for example, and a handful of travel guides where the unanimous opinion is that travelling to Howness to see the aurora is almost worth putting up with the backwater ignorance of the locals.

Any Oghmanyte is ready to answer. "No, aurora are not at all common to Amia. I would check historial records to verify this, but Cordor's library held much of the island's actual history and it seems most of those books went missing more than two years ago. But I have a passing interest in meteorological phenomenon myself, and so I can safely answer as I have. To listen to the people of the Commonwealth speak, this is a gift from the gods. So it may be, I have no factual evidence to determine the validity of the claim. I'm more likely to wonder, however, if it has anything to do with the city's touted Weathershroud. Perhaps that magical effect to neutralize and stabilize the weather is beginning to have an unexpected impact. I'd love to research it, but I'd have to become a citizen and then probably join the Ministry of Magic in order to have access to any information about the Weathershroud, let alone the Weathershroud itself, so I will be content to wait."

The Oghmanyte strokes his white beard, curiously. "Of course, that's also speculation, too. I honestly haven't any idea of it, but it does seem to be expanding."

And he is correct - by the next night, the effect of the aurora still hangs over Cordor, but has crept up the eastern coast of Amia, off the shore, over the water. The patients of the Salandran Temple in Benwick Hollow are escorted into the courtyards to observe the murals of undulating light, and a priestess of the Salandran Health Resort quips, but cautiously, "Look at how attentive some of our mentally troubled patients are to this, more attentive than they are to any of our ministrations. Perhaps this is a sign that Salandra wants us to reach their minds with wonder and novelty..."

In the meantime, many well-to-do of Cordor and Kohlingen and other areas reach the wonder and novelty of the aurora with cold, hard cash, chartering tour boats that set sail or row out over the Trackless Sea east of Amia to be immediately beneath the aurora as it transforms the nighttime sky into the canvas of some unknown god of plastic arts. Champagne bottles are uncorked, wine glasses are clinked together, and bards find great opportunities to entertain on party boats with songs and stories and improvised rhapsodies about the aurora.

Tyrus, on one of his brief departures from his Westside home, stops outside and looks up. He frowns slightly, silently looking up at the Aurora. He had seen that before, though it was during time spent in the frozen north in his past. Here, given Amia's climate, even one with his lack of scientific knowledge understood that well enough.

As he walked down the streets, he heard the commoners remarking on the visual phenomenon. Hearing people crediting the event to different deities, he snorted to himself. Fools... he thought, always skeptical of such things even though he did follow several deities in some shape or form. It wa just prudence on his part from his past experiences.

So it was that he went about a quick matter of business, looking up once more before going back into the house. He put the matter aside in his mind, save for a vague suspicion of something being amiss...

This phenomenon would be noted by Crow during his regular patrols of the Bramble Woods and surrounding areas. he would look up and enjoy the spectacular event, commenting to a friend or two about what he has seen.

Elor watches the spectacle with his usual cheer, uttering a prayer to Selune in thanks for the Carnaval of Stars. He also encourages Kurchin in his efforts to pain the phenomenon, and encourages other artists to do the same. At dawn, as the spectacle starts to fade, he heads towards the theatre.

Kurchin can be seen running around Cordor, finding various spots to paint the Aurora. He does his work enthusiastically and skillfully, albeit messily, getting a significant amount of paint on himself as he works. He makes a painting of the Aurora from each of Cordor's districts. By the end of it, the kobold is soaked with several layers of paint. He smiles when he's done.

Blue eyes under a blue hood behold the beautiful night-lights. They do not hold awe or wonderment, however. There is a flit of concern, worry...

...fear?...

...There is a quickened pace, southward. A half-jog. Direct, and unerring, to the ley-line portal leading to the Monolith of Mystra. And some-time after, a note quietly slipped under the Professor of Divinations door.

Pilineth simply stares upwards, tranfixed by the lights and their beauty.

On hearing of the phenomena and seeing an example described by Zelly in the Monolith Ley elevator chamber on the Lab's floor, Tuomas' mind suddenly hyper-accelerated.

Hearing of it's heading towards the Monolith, Tuomas came to a sudden halt.

~ .. This.. is.. not.. good... ~ he thought to himself. Very briefly, what might seem the words of another man would have drifted into his mind but he set them aside, knowing his role, his place in the Machinations of what may come.

Kurchin, after a trip to the monolith, goes back to Cordor. The strangely friendly kobold asks the people around about the Aurora, commenting in an admiring tone on the pretty lights. He tries to gauge how many of the people in Cordor have seen them. He also, when the occasion calls for it, he'll show one of his paintings of the Aurora.

He later travels northward, to see how far north he can go and still see the Aurora.

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In the meantime, many well-to-do of Cordor and Kohlingen and other areas reach the wonder and novelty of the aurora with cold, hard cash, chartering tour boats that set sail or row out over the Trackless Sea east of Amia to be immediately beneath the aurora as it transforms the nighttime sky into the canvas of some unknown god of plastic arts. Champagne bottles are uncorked, wine glasses are clinked together, and bards find great opportunities to entertain on party boats with songs and stories and improvised rhapsodies about the aurora.

Coincidentally (?), the Captain of the Guard, Nevaeh Tarvencia, shows up at one of the boat parties to nonchalantly mingle. She chose to attend a party with one of the longer guest lists, and like many others, observed the dazzling spectacle of the Aurora Borealis. She attends without a date, as is perhaps expected, but, perhaps unexpectedly, in a flattering red sweetheart dress appropriate for the occasion. Champagne glass in hand, she stands at the bow away from the crowd, expressionlessly watching the writhing of the lights in the sky...

Worry fills Willow up when she's told that the phenomenon is uncommon. She listens to the Oghmanyte speak, taking it in. When s/he tells her that the Commonwealth is practicing some sort of weather control, her worry mixes with anger, as she frowns. She thanks the Oghmanyte and heads off.

The following day, she sees the Aurora, or "Aurora," as she patrols the frontier lands. She becomes highly suspicious, watching it move with narrowed eyes. When she sees it move toward the East, she heads back North. She mutters out loud to herself:

Something is definitely wrong here...

She then thinks to herself, "and even if that damned Cordorian so-called Commonwealth isn't behind it... what they're doing is wrong... A connected problem, two different problems, perhaps? Maybe even worse?... " She sighs, continuing her travels through the Orc lands and nearing Bendir Dale.

Blue eyes and windblown hair watch the sky, slightly fascinated.

"It's like a Wizard's March."

In the meanwhile, Lady Emma Vaughn of Cordor has convinced her family to once again set sail for the mainland. The fight with her Uncle was one that lasted most of the night, but at long last, she saw them packing their most important belongings and leave. Getting her Uncle to leave himself was even harder. But in the end, she accomplished that as well, though he told her with a tearful hug to send word the moment she thought they could return. Lady Emma has assumed the burden of their properties and ship-yarding business in his stead until he shall return. She seems busy, and moves back and forth between the Portal to the Monolith frequently.

*Egan charters his little boat out to any who would hire it. And if no one does, he rows among the gathered ships attempting to sell food and drinks*

In addition the High hand of Ice can be heard remarking "The Frostmaiden's banners fly over that cursed city, seems its time to watch the spectacle that is her wrath"

During that particular eve the Aurora was active, he had been enjoying a spot of tea, and upon spying it, he would initiate a walk towards the center of Cordor, pausing, and utilizing 'See Ley Energy' at each crystal node therein, Conducting his vision skyward, he would then move to utilize a 'detect' magic spell, while observing the Aurora.

Stepping from the city gates, later, he would attempt to enthrall a seagull with a Dominate Monster, spell. Were it successful he would bid it fly up, over the city towards the Aurora and bid it remain in flight. If the Prismatic lights were determined to be in range of the Seagull's ability to fly, he would focus another Detect Magic cantrip, and then focus a Greater Scrying, upon the dominated bird, fixating on the remote viewing of the Seagull, as an anchor to the phenomenon, and ascertain whether the phenomenon was 'natural' in nature.

Regardless of the success of the bird or not, he would remain on the cliffs north of the City, and observe in the distance towards the Monolith.

A grim frown on his face. His garments blustering in the wind as he stands there..

"I..never really was very good at speeches...lying, or gambits...I'm sorry. I..I am not giving up...though.. If one avenue is closed, it just means I have to make another.. Stick with your forte, Sul..."

He took out a length of coiled copper wire, and tapped it.. focusing, murmering..
After about ten minutes time it darkened, and fizzled, and he tossed it into the sea, and his eyes flitted open.

He would have returned to Caraigh that night. Too much on his mind. Though he stood on the shore, on the tiny freestanding rock, connected only by bridge that the Asylum was on, his eyes trained North, without fail. Though he stood, his focus was somewhere many miles away.

His thoughts echoing in his mind, and a faint murmur.."I'm a researcher, Not a general... they need me.. more than here."

Mentaki sees many interesting things....

...but the far more interesting things in Cordor are to be heard. On the morning of the fourth day of the aurora, a large fishing vessel with tattered sails finally makes its way into Kohlingen Harbor, where the knights are quick to mobilize for aid. Five men are pulled from the boat, their hair thin and salty, their lips dry and cracked from sun, their hands calloused and bleeding with splinters from two solid days of rowing.

Upon reaching land they weep, too dehydrated for tears to form in their eyes, praising Valkur, that saint of the seas, for giving them a guiding light to follow when a sudden, midnight sea squall destroyed their sails and left them stranded in the open stretches of the Trackless Sea. With much of their food supply damaged and two of their crew members, one of them an expert navigator, washed overboard in the tempest, they had little time and even less hope.

"Until we saw the lights," one fisherman rasps, greedily drinking at the water he is provided from the kindness of Kohlingen's freshwater wells. "Though the Bitch Queen had Her wrath, She failed to drag us all into the depths of Her watery embrace; Valkur, in His mercy, would not see us suffer so, and led us back home. Every sailor knows the motto. Look to the sky when all is lost, and there shall ye find the way home."

Home, in that motto, can mean land or the afterlife. Their story circulates through Kohlingen, into Benwick Hollow, and rapidly through Cordor, were citizens have begun to hold nightly square dances in honor of the gods' favor.

And so the aurora continues winding its way without end on a northeasterly path over the length of the Trackless Sea, in the general direction of sleepy, stormy, bitter Ruathym...

Tuomas (having been in Kohlingen this day briefly, looked up and saw the Aurora whilst attending his business, palming his face).

~... Not.. good. ~

On a trip through Cordor, Zelly pauses to look at the lights again. She flies up to the top of the Temple of Waukeen and stands perched, looking to the northeast. A troubled frown finds her lips and she glances down toward the Commonwealth Government Building. With a running start, she leaps off the building and spreads her wings, flying toward the Monolith: her home.

On the fourth night, Willow spots the Aurora effect and takes to the air, in the form of a hawk. She tries her best to get as close as possible to it, without bringing harm to herself, should it be too high up. If she were to get close enough, she would cast the spell "Detect Magic" for as long as she could hold it to get as much information as she could from it. Most important to her, of all things, is trying to determine the school of magic, if there should indeed be one.

After casting the spell, or failing at getting close enough to do so, she returns to the Amia Forest, disapearing into the dark of the night.

On the way home Tyrus again eyes the lighting. Seeing the people rejoicing in the streets, he shakes his head. Some offers to join in go unheeded as he silently passed through the mirth. In truth, he didn't expect anything vile about the Aurora, only a nagging suspicion. Had there been less strife going on presently he may have not felt anything about them at all, but as it was....

Perhaps his cynicism would be proved unfounded.... perhaps not.

On the stretch of coastline between Cordor and Wharftown, a lone figure crouches along a windswept cliff, watching the lights flickering in the sky above with a deep bitterness.

What sick little games do you have in store for us now?

Mina would join in on the merriments, dancing with the locals who don't seem to mind her too much. She would often ask a few citizens here and there what they thought about the Aurora. Politely smiling and listening to all the many versions of which god or goddess has blessed the sky.

Before heading home for the evening Mina stares at the sky, her eyes follow it's northeasterly trail. Her brow furrows as a pout forms on her face.

She sighs."Please watch over all who I love."

*Upon returning from the battle in Caraigh, the Grandmaster goes to visit the personnel of the shipping vessel.*

Perhaps unrelated, upon one particular lonely, rocky Ruathym isle, an exodus begins...

*On the Northern part of Amia, a few knight seem to be waiting at the docks of a certain city.*

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Belalad can be seen giving the lights mind and notice. For one reason or another he can be seen in meditation, as his familiar Archy is no where to be found. While the small dragon at night is actually flying high within the sky, but carefully encase danger appears investigating the lights. Than relaying any information he finds to Belalad. Looking for anything odd besides the lights that can only be expiernced higher above.

Watching Captain Evananee take her leave from the Monolith for one final time, a frightened Zelly exhales slowly.

"It begins... I... I need to talk to Elandorr... I need him to know..."

The students were gone. The faculty departed.

It was time.

Within the office of the Headmaster at the even lonelier Ruathym isle of the Monolith of Mystra, Ulrik stands staring out to sea from his window. South-westwardly. Toward the aurora borealis, snaking in the night sky. Beyond that Amia, and, the City of Cordor. Behind him, a tome strewn desk, with a small pile of letters...

Meanwhile, in another part of the Monolith, Tuomas quietly examined the Machine central to the Lab's level, pondering to himself.

~ What.. are we missing? ~

Leaning against a bench in the middle of the night, a green garbed magi nods off at one point. Papers fluttering to his lap as his head slumps. Mind wondering on a jaunt through Nod, in a tower on an isle in the middle of.. the sea.

The1Kobra wrote:

Kurchin, after a trip to the monolith, goes back to Cordor. The strangely friendly kobold asks the people around about the Aurora, commenting in an admiring tone on the pretty lights. He tries to gauge how many of the people in Cordor have seen them. He also, when the occasion calls for it, he'll show one of his paintings of the Aurora.

He later travels northward, to see how far north he can go and still see the Aurora.

After showing his paintings around, Kurchin is contacted by the Studegart noble house in Kohlingen, formerly a noble house in Cordor, with an offer to commission him to immortalize the aurora as it drifts lazily off the coast of Kohlingen, in clear and perfect view of the waterfront homes of the title-holding elite.

"You may use the rooftops, where I believe you will have the best vantage point of the skyline and be away from much of the light pollution given off by the Keep. In addition, no one should disturb you here on our garden veranda," the attache to Lord Studegart smiles, and should Kurchin accept the offer to paint, he is treated rather well for the many days it may take him to paint the most exquisite rendition of the aurora off the coast of Amia.

Eventually, Lord Studegart makes his intentions known to the artist. "A talented man such as yourself has an eye, yes? A skilled eye. A trained eye, capable of perceiving that which is not normally so easily perceived. Tell me, then, that you have noted the origins of the aurora? Over the new commonwealth of Cordor, given over to the deplorable working class, once the home of the original sprawling Studegart estate before being asked, and I say asked facetiously, to make an exodus from Cordor."

"It is my opinion that the Lady Siamorphe, wise and noble defender of the ruling caste, is emptying the contents of her sun-kissed chalice, the nectar of the gods spilling out over the sky in a lazy trail to find its way to us, and so that we may find our way back to her. This, my dear friend," he says chummily to the artist whom he has never seen before, "is divine providence! 'Tis proof of the wrongs done to us, and Siamorphe's solidarity in our plight."

Meanwhile, Captain Evananee's vessel travels lazily across the surprisingly calm Trackless Sea. After sundown, the wind died for two and half hours, forcing several young apprentices to take up oars and row towards Kohlingen until the winds pick up again. Save for some five minutes, when all stand upon the deck of the vessel, students and faculty and staff alike, suddenly rendered equal in that moment, staring in wonderment at the colored lights which make their way northeast...exactly in the direction from whence they came...

On the streets of Cordor, while the citizenry celebrates and enjoys the phenomenon of the Aurora, Captain Tarvencia is seen passing through the streets with a notable purpose in her gait. It seems she is doing more than mere patrols, as she speaks with some people on the docks and the priestess attending the Mystran ley-portal. Sometimes she is seen jotting notes down in her journal in the Southern and West Districts particularly, and if anyone were on Moribund, the behavior would be repeated there. This behavior isn't isolated to a single day, however. It had been happening for perhaps a tenday, maybe more, but has become more obvious and pronounced in the last few days.

Shortly after the Commonwealth Center was shut down in response to the posted claims of the Mystran Monolith, the Captain approaches the former ducal palace upon the stone-cut stairs for entry, a case of files tucked under her left arm.

Business continues as usual at the Vaughn's shipyard, and their main property seems still occupied and well-guarded, though it might be notable that more guards have been added of late. Lady Emma herself has not been seen in Cordor for several days, and any inquiring are told by the steward or her maidservant Sarah that she is "out making her usual visitations," but will be back soon.

Kurchin graciously accepts the offer from the Studegart noble house. Kurchin behaves in a very friendly, charming, and well mannered fashion. He initially offers to do the paintings free of charge, though accepts payment if insisted upon.

After the pleasantries are exchanged, he'd get to work on the paintings, creating them from multiple locations, both inside and outside the estate. He works with both enthusiasm and skill. He retains a rather chipper demeanor as he does so. He spends much time on them, spending only a few hours of each day eating, drinking, or with idle banter. After he was finished with the paintings, he'd show them to Lord Studegart, offering him the ones he liked.

When he stops to talk to Lord Studegart, he retains his pleasant, cheery demeanor. He'd nod when asked if he had a skilled eye. His demeanor doesn't get any more grim, he merely smiles and wags his tail.

You don't know half of it... He thought to himself, having himself heard of the Aurora's origins from Ulrik. That it was composed of Ley energy... heading towards the monolith, and likely extremely dangerous. He never found out by whom though...

“Well, I had noticed it was moving, the position was diffewent when I painted my fiwst ones awound Cowdowwe. I didn't see whewwe it fiwst stawted. Howevow... if I line it's positions up, I'd say that it eithow stawted above eithow the City Hall, owwe above the Long and the Showt.”
Kurchin chuckles a bit after making the comment about the Long and the Short. After which, he shares some of the other rumors and tales he's heard about the Aurora. However, he leaves it ambiguous to what he actually believes (or knows) about the Aurora, unless directly asked.

The Aurora is indifferent to the unrest at either of its ends, a string of lights adorning the gateway to the gods, to drape the heavens while the earth below burns.

A handful of lone magi, the remnants of the Mystran Monolith's Guild, can see the aurora clearly from the roof of the black spire. It is elegant, inspiring, calming, deceptive, and only a matter of miles off the shore.

The corpse of a drowned sailor peers up from the depths with sightless, crab-eaten eyes, his mouth twisted in a gasp of desperation that now becomes a gasp of surprise. Body and soul, consumed by the Bitch Queen, he sees the light, a pathway to the Crystal Spire, and knows that the great Judge Kelemvor has not forgotten him, will have him processed and impressed into service to Lord Valkur on his great warship scouring the Astral Sea.

The dead man waits at the bottom of the Trackless Sea. And waits. And waits.

The living, huddled against Ruathym's bitter wind on the roof of the Monolith, do not have the same luxury.

Prayers are the highest they have ever been in Amia. The traffic of the faithful's words flows gradually upwards and outwards into the astral realms and into the ethereal stream that flows through the ears of the gods.

In Cordor, they praise and they party, holding great square dances under the aurora. Even Arwen and Aluvard's beginnings marketing suits and jackets and dresses and blouses dyed in the shades of the aurora, to commemorate the experience (and capitalize upon it).

In the Salandran Temple, those touched in the head are touched in the soul, held rapt by the magnificence of creation.

In Kohlingen, the Church of the Triad remains stoic, but the people gaze northwards over the Trackless Sea, building small shrines to their house gods in fact or in imagination.

Artists everywhere find inspiration, and clerics find a kind of understated divinity. The troubled find peace, the grieving find solace, the fearful find hope.

And then, like a curtain being closed, a candle being snuffed, an ever watchful eye being shut, the light is gone. The dancing ceases. The feelings are in danger of eroding, without something to replace them. The prayers go unspoken.

In a moment, the aurora is gone.

And so is the Monolith of Mystra, leaving only an empty, windy, inhospitable crag.

And so is a Halruuan.

On the lone, empty rock which once housed the Monolith of Mystra, a devastated copper kin weeps, hysterical at the feeling of loss that lodges into her chest. She speaks a name, "Mentaki..."

She repeats the name over and over, as if it'll somehow bring him back. It takes time to gather their wits about them and to find the strength to depart, but as the stragglers left behind by the blinding light which took their Monolith home and their Halruuan companion gather to depart on the Swan, Zelly is the last to board, the last to look away...

Well after the Witching Hour, and upon the docks of Kohlingen the remains of the guild of the Monolith of Mystra arrive. All of them battered, bruised, and bloodied. A human bearing a blue crystal-ball adorned stave, a white-haired gnome, a hooded hin, a devastated copper-kin, and an armored and helmed woman, carrying the battered corpse of a hin female clad in robes. The group part ways at the docks. The woman and the hin leaving with the body through a portal, the rest making their way to the Keep, to meet with the Justicar...

*On a wind swept rock only reachable by the portal from Cordor or by specially chartered boat, two tents emerge next to where the Monolith once stood. They are kept by a Hin mage and a warrior woman of human size.*

"Two lives for the many and nothing but misguided oafs that will never know or even comprehend the cost to show for it."

*Shortly after saying this, Eli pulls out four posts and sets them up to commemorate the corners of where the tower had stood*

A Raven flies over head on the small slab of stone the Monolith once stood on. It lands and the Raven takes the form of a female Hin. She stands before the empty isle with her mouth wide open, looking around. She mumbles to herself.

I was right... it's gone...

She then takes flight again and leaves.

Pilineth heads through the portal to the Monolith and freezes. She is awestruck by the lack of the tower, she moves over to Eli and asks what happened.

A woman, white as pure marble against the dark, jagged Wiltun cliffside, holds a candle. It is marked for keeping track of time: twenty- four hours, to be precise.

As the wax ran hot over her fingers, her time was running out.

It was ironic, that she would be given the gift to forget about death, and yet the need to remember, to know, held fast to her still.

A gift from a Halruuan mage, a light to illuminate time, if only for a brief moment, for one who lost it in darkness. Or, perhaps, time had lost her.

"Thank you," was a whisper lost on the wind.

Aurora Borealis

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