::Dala moves to the front of the altar, sitting on the floor and leaning back upon it. She slowly relates the story of the Moon's fall in great detail. It is an oral tale, one that is designed in the tradition of non-literate peoples, to be related and remembered by others. The tale relates the betrayal of Lelune by her lover, her time as a wandering spirit, her aid in the current quest, and everything else that Dala has learned of the goddess in her many travels. She leaves out the full details only of the location and condition of the Great Temple, though she does relate the encounter with Radius, Lelune, and the Visitor.::
"So you see creature, the Moon is not dead, she yet moves within this plane."
::Looking at the hobgoblin with a soft stare, she contemplates his words, then speaks in a quiet voice.::
"Killing murderers and thieves is not an act of evil in most cultures, at least not to my knowledge. These gods have killed and stolen for their power, and now harm those powerless to stop them. Those actions aren't evil. But I think that you delude yourself into beliefs that will turn you into something much like them in order to fight them. I think this is unnecessary, and that something in you calls out to power and knowledge that will corrupt you. But perhaps you will master that which you find on this path... I see that you have the strength in you to do so."
::The four large cloaked figures stand just inside the cemetery and wait, unflinching, for whomever the dwarf is bringing them to. The tremendous pegasus follows it's master, and then mills about the graveyard grazing on flowers and grasses.::arete wrote:::Rachnar floats into the temple looking for Dala. He turns to the cloaked figures:: She is busy cleaning up bodies it might be a bit before she can get to us. Till then if you require private quaters we have resting areas over here.
//Be warned, dwarf, do not waste our attentions. Who is it you are bringing us here to see? Why are we in a graveyard?//
"It appears I have other guests. I must leave for a time. Don't get yourself in more trouble than you can handle Shifter."
::With that Dala walks out of the temple and to the edge of the graveyard, where Rachnar has brought more visitors. She examines them as she approaches, and looks between her friend and the visitors when she arrives in front of them, waiting for answers.::
::With that Dala walks out of the temple and to the edge of the graveyard, where Rachnar has brought more visitors. She examines them as she approaches, and looks between her friend and the visitors when she arrives in front of them, waiting for answers.::
Threading the Gerbil since 1982
::The same voice that echoes into Ratchnar's mind also enters Dala's, now they both "hear" what the figure says to them.::rydi wrote:"Why? What do you wish to know?"
::A pang of tangible rage flits through the mind of the unknown figure.::
//FOOL of a dwarf! Do you intentionally waste our time? We did not come here with inquiries as to what happened! All of heaven watched, all eyes were locked on your confrontation, and those of us who opposed Radius hoped against hope that by some fortuitous event, some unforseen circumstance, the bastard Sun god would fall. Your unexpected victory, an act of treachery against YOU in fact, by those who forced you to champion them against your will, and at the expense of thousands of other lives, was as a well of positive energy into our souls. I thought I had explained our purpose clearly, but your memory seems shorter than your body. By what CURSE are we forced into your "guidance", by which damnable Fury have we been forced into your ineptitude?//
::Rage ebbing, the figure turns her mental focus more onto Dala.::
//By all the stars in the sky, I hope you have a clearer mind than your companion. We have come here seeking alliance, as we share a common enemy. By the death of Radius, his laws are scribed into permanence, his damage is done, but his allies still live, still press their wicked suit in purgatory, and as we four have long opposed him, we find that our mutual goals may be met, some beneficial arrangement might be made. War is a time for necessity, and you are at war with forces in heaven, as are we. Were this a time of peace in all the realms, we might be natural enemies, but perhaps you are wise enough to see how a common enemy can unite those that might otherwise be foes. While the prowess your number have shown is great, you act in darkness, unknowing of the designs of heaven on you, or of why your fate has been thusly manipulated.//
::The being makes a mental pause, her sultry voice fades from your minds for a moment, then returns.::
//Do you understand? Are you in command of your faculties such that our mission, our message might make some sense? We have a mutual enemy, methinks you might benefit from our insight, perhaps we can work together, when the time comes. Are YOU of importance enough to speak for your number?//
"More knowledge, more allies in the cause, more friends to guard our backs, these are all useful. But you still haven't said who you are, what you are, why you want to help, what your cause is, or even what it is you intend to do to help. I can speak for my number, but I will not until I understand what is going on here. Your words are... eloquent but empty, they talk around the matter at hand, no offense intended. I'm from a more direct people, and need more simple and direct words if I am to fully understand what you mean."
::Dala speaks a truth, not the whole truth, much as her new "friends" do. She understood them perfectly, her time in the world making her more than a simple illiterate barbarian, but more direct words would be helpful, and she couldn't possibly agree to ally herself and her companions without understanding what was going on. Perhaps this was the reason for Rachnar's lack of information, both to her and to them; if these creatures talked around the point with him, they would get poor results from the taciturn dwarf.::
::Dala speaks a truth, not the whole truth, much as her new "friends" do. She understood them perfectly, her time in the world making her more than a simple illiterate barbarian, but more direct words would be helpful, and she couldn't possibly agree to ally herself and her companions without understanding what was going on. Perhaps this was the reason for Rachnar's lack of information, both to her and to them; if these creatures talked around the point with him, they would get poor results from the taciturn dwarf.::
Threading the Gerbil since 1982
::The figures throw back their hoods, now in a more private place. They are all great elves, two women and two men. Three of them have a terrible aspect to them, their visage inspires a twinge of fear, the other, one of the men, is clad in shining full plate and carries a brilliant aspect to him. The one who has been telepathically speaking with you, one of the women, clad in revealing, blackest garb of some arcane nature, continues.::rydi wrote:"More knowledge, more allies in the cause, more friends to guard our backs, these are all useful. But you still haven't said who you are, what you are, why you want to help, what your cause is, or even what it is you intend to do to help. I can speak for my number, but I will not until I understand what is going on here. Your words are... eloquent but empty, they talk around the matter at hand, no offense intended. I'm from a more direct people, and need more simple and direct words if I am to fully understand what you mean."
::Dala speaks a truth, not the whole truth, much as her new "friends" do. She understood them perfectly, her time in the world making her more than a simple illiterate barbarian, but more direct words would be helpful, and she couldn't possibly agree to ally herself and her companions without understanding what was going on. Perhaps this was the reason for Rachnar's lack of information, both to her and to them; if these creatures talked around the point with him, they would get poor results from the taciturn dwarf.::
//I am Nihan, daughter* of Nihilan. These are Urius, son* of Vanculus, Veeran, daughter* of Annihilus, and Rubius, son* of Radius. We four have opposes Radius and others for thousands of years, and have had little to no success. While we will not join with you in battle, we offer our knowledge of the celestial courts, of which we are a part, and we have some plans which, given the circumstances, you may be interested in assisting us with. Further, given your new...condition...our guidance could be the only advice that is ever offered as to how these changes will affect you. Our wisdom and designs, you will find, surpass those of mortals, and we would see you learn how to lay such plans, how to think as immortals. We are vetted in the affairs of gods, and we have sought out methods of combating them that we are now unable to use, as our "heresy" has resulted in exile from certain places. Are these words plainer, do these notions appeal to you more directly?//
[* these familial indications carry the meaning that they are removed, for example, when Nihan says that she is the "daughter" of Nihilan, she telepathically indicates that she is actually the great great great granddaughter of Nihilan, but in the celestial courts such distinctions aren't made. The same or similar is true for the other uses of such terms, son or daughter.]
::Saubwa watches as Dala leaves to greet the newcomers contemplating what she said. He knew that she was correct on many points, he also knew that she truly wouldn't prevent him from taking the course of action that he saw most fitting; although it may cause irrepairable damage to their relationship. He knew that this path was extremely dangerous, that it would change him forever, and could possibly end with him being completly consumed. He had some thoughts regarding it though, and they could be more heretical than the paths of the others who sought the Outer Darkness before him. The few accounts that he had read and seen seemed to be of people who either worshipped these Unshaped, or petitioned for their aid; could it be that because they sought this from a position of weakness they allowed themselves to be consumed by the beings that they sought out? From what he had read, the Unshaped hated the world and stability that the Shaped created but almost appeared to be powerless to unmake it. He himself now had a portion of the power of the Shaped flowing through him, and while it was only a small amount it might offer him more protection than the ones before him had. He was also a master of his own form, able to transform himself into nearly anything that he could imagine. Perhaps with the protection of the divine blood coursing through his veins and his control over his own body, he could take control of the relationship between what by all accounts seemed to be parasite and host. If he could control the Unshaped or at least protect himself from them he might not lose himself. What he truly sought lied not with the Unshaped however, what he sought was the power to Unmake the Gods. He was seeking either a power or a material that was the antithesis to very concepts of Form and Life. If such a thing existed, as he felt like it should, it could only be found in the place where Form was an alien concept. In his mind, the majority of this dispute between the Gods could be found in their egoism and their certainty in their own immortality. The lack of fear that had been fostered because of their great power cemented in their minds the certainty that every thought that they had was somehow perfect and therefore should be written as divine law. They were not perfect though, they were once mortal, and these ideas and arguments that they were having were born from the perspective of mortals. The fact that such petty squabbles threatened to destroy that which they were supposed to reign over should have opened their eyes, but it didn't seem to with some of them. They needed to be reminded of fear, they needed to feel the threat of lethal repurcussions should they ever renege on their duties as divine powers. He would seek out and take the power to become their boogeyman, to become a godslayer. He didn't hate the world of the Formed, far from it, he loved it so much that he would sacrifice himself in order to save it from tyrants who would see it destroyed rather than concede their opinions.
He then turns and regards One, the apparent guardian of the path and door into the Outer Darkness. It had offered it's guidance in reaching it, but had also mentioned the need to make sure that he didn't have ill intentions in regards to the portal. He had very little doubt that if he showed it any hint that he worshipped the living gods or that he might betray One to them that it would destroy him. It was a very subtle and unspoken threat, but it was noticed nonetheless. Fortunately he had no such intentions. It was time to find out what sort of guidance his would be mentor/destroyer could or would offer::
"You just stated that the way in which we view death is a fallacy, what did you mean by that? Is death truly final or is it really just an inevitable inconvenience on a greater path? You also said earlier that you were here to help guide the Seeker of the Outer Darkness, but that it was not your place or intent to show me the path to the door. What guidance and aid can you give?"
He then turns and regards One, the apparent guardian of the path and door into the Outer Darkness. It had offered it's guidance in reaching it, but had also mentioned the need to make sure that he didn't have ill intentions in regards to the portal. He had very little doubt that if he showed it any hint that he worshipped the living gods or that he might betray One to them that it would destroy him. It was a very subtle and unspoken threat, but it was noticed nonetheless. Fortunately he had no such intentions. It was time to find out what sort of guidance his would be mentor/destroyer could or would offer::
"You just stated that the way in which we view death is a fallacy, what did you mean by that? Is death truly final or is it really just an inevitable inconvenience on a greater path? You also said earlier that you were here to help guide the Seeker of the Outer Darkness, but that it was not your place or intent to show me the path to the door. What guidance and aid can you give?"
::One speaks softly in reply, as though merely being overheard would create some great disaster.::Amseriah wrote:::Saubwa watches as Dala leaves to greet the newcomers contemplating what she said. He knew that she was correct on many points, he also knew that she truly wouldn't prevent him from taking the course of action that he saw most fitting; although it may cause irrepairable damage to their relationship. He knew that this path was extremely dangerous, that it would change him forever, and could possibly end with him being completly consumed. He had some thoughts regarding it though, and they could be more heretical than the paths of the others who sought the Outer Darkness before him. The few accounts that he had read and seen seemed to be of people who either worshipped these Unshaped, or petitioned for their aid; could it be that because they sought this from a position of weakness they allowed themselves to be consumed by the beings that they sought out? From what he had read, the Unshaped hated the world and stability that the Shaped created but almost appeared to be powerless to unmake it. He himself now had a portion of the power of the Shaped flowing through him, and while it was only a small amount it might offer him more protection than the ones before him had. He was also a master of his own form, able to transform himself into nearly anything that he could imagine. Perhaps with the protection of the divine blood coursing through his veins and his control over his own body, he could take control of the relationship between what by all accounts seemed to be parasite and host. If he could control the Unshaped or at least protect himself from them he might not lose himself. What he truly sought lied not with the Unshaped however, what he sought was the power to Unmake the Gods. He was seeking either a power or a material that was the antithesis to very concepts of Form and Life. If such a thing existed, as he felt like it should, it could only be found in the place where Form was an alien concept. In his mind, the majority of this dispute between the Gods could be found in their egoism and their certainty in their own immortality. The lack of fear that had been fostered because of their great power cemented in their minds the certainty that every thought that they had was somehow perfect and therefore should be written as divine law. They were not perfect though, they were once mortal, and these ideas and arguments that they were having were born from the perspective of mortals. The fact that such petty squabbles threatened to destroy that which they were supposed to reign over should have opened their eyes, but it didn't seem to with some of them. They needed to be reminded of fear, they needed to feel the threat of lethal repurcussions should they ever renege on their duties as divine powers. He would seek out and take the power to become their boogeyman, to become a godslayer. He didn't hate the world of the Formed, far from it, he loved it so much that he would sacrifice himself in order to save it from tyrants who would see it destroyed rather than concede their opinions.
He then turns and regards One, the apparent guardian of the path and door into the Outer Darkness. It had offered it's guidance in reaching it, but had also mentioned the need to make sure that he didn't have ill intentions in regards to the portal. He had very little doubt that if he showed it any hint that he worshipped the living gods or that he might betray One to them that it would destroy him. It was a very subtle and unspoken threat, but it was noticed nonetheless. Fortunately he had no such intentions. It was time to find out what sort of guidance his would be mentor/destroyer could or would offer::
"You just stated that the way in which we view death is a fallacy, what did you mean by that? Is death truly final or is it really just an inevitable inconvenience on a greater path? You also said earlier that you were here to help guide the Seeker of the Outer Darkness, but that it was not your place or intent to show me the path to the door. What guidance and aid can you give?"
"The beings in this world believe they are divided between good, evil, law and chaos. And they are, here. But even the most anarchic beings, those who misunderstand themselves to defy all order, they are subject to the laws of the Orderors. In this ordered realm, however chaotic you may be, you are governed by the absoluteness of death and the temporariness of life, even so called "immortals" may be slain, as you well know. Outer Darkness is not a place, it is not a plane, it is not some other realm. It is the absence of planes, places, and realms. It is wherever the Form and Function of the Realms as you know them simply...aren't. How would you die, or live, in a place where such notions aren't enforced? Aren't welcome? Where such notions are powerless? I am neither alive nor dead, because I have accepted the truths of formlessness, and I am not bound to be either.
As to how can I help you? The right questions may evoke the right answers, the wrong questions may evoke nothing at all. You will never attain formlessness if your mind and spirit are incapable of seeking it, but I can speed your journey by functioning as your mentor, in a sense. I will not tell you the questions you must ask, but should your formed and structured mind defy it's own very nature, and conjure the right questions to be asked, those that took me a great many years to answer, I might speed your journey with guidance. I cannot allow a formed one such as you to find the path by my own hand, without first witnessing your departure from formed thought.
I could lead you there now, to Outer Darkness. You every essence and minutia would be consumed in moments, you would cease to exist in every sense, having been consumed utterly by any number of outer beings. But should you reach Outer Darkness by your own designs, the journey will shape you into something that might survive in formlessness. Do you understand?"
::Dala contemplates for a moment, in no rush to hastily decide her, or her friends, futures. After a long silence, she replies.::
"I am certain that I speak for all of us when I say that we would welcome your knowledge, your experience, and your wisdom. But such things, they are seldom freely offered, even by those with ties of blood and friendship between them. Is there a cost? Because I cannot agree to terms by myself unless the cost is something that already is in accord with our goals."
"I am certain that I speak for all of us when I say that we would welcome your knowledge, your experience, and your wisdom. But such things, they are seldom freely offered, even by those with ties of blood and friendship between them. Is there a cost? Because I cannot agree to terms by myself unless the cost is something that already is in accord with our goals."
Threading the Gerbil since 1982