Written by: Sentinel Zailon Britbane
Edited by: Elder Seer Rovvigen Aniket
A lone dark elf approaches, and you recognize him from your last meeting as Sentinel Zailon. Zailon says, “The time approaches, go forth to Niima’s Shrine and heed the words of The Prophet and the wisdom of Niima’s chosen.” Without further delay, you venture on to the shrine.
Formed from the surrounding stone, the rounded walls and slightly cramped ceiling of this tiny chamber drip quietly with collecting condensation. Rows of flickering candles resting on natural ledges cast a warm light throughout the room, softly illuminating a statue of a young girl rising fluidly up from waves of carved rock upon the southern wall. Ensconced by the perpetually frozen waves is a shallow pool, continually fed by the sea below.
The Prophet addresses the gathering, “Thank you everyone for joining us on this special occasion, as we continue on our Sacred Pilgrimage. As some of you may know, last month we visited the Cleric Guild Shrine in the Landing to learn all about Lorminstra and We also received a blessed white diamond."
"This evening I will be passing around a backpack with souvenir sacks, candles, and sapphires. Please take one of each item and pass it to the next person."
The soft trickling sounds from the water upon the walls rises in volume, the soft sounds causing playful echoes to rebound about the chamber for several moments after they fade.
Rovvigen continues, "This evening we have the honor of having a special guest, Priestess of Niima, to give a speech about who Niima is and what she has done throughout the lands."
"I will now turn the floor over to our honored guest Priestess of Niima, Lirosyn"
Lirosyn Says, “Welcome to the Shrine of Niima, Mistress of the Water and Patroness of Sailors. She is an Arkati of the Pantheon of Liabo, along with her father, Charl."
"Charl, God of the Sea, was the first Arkati to engage in an intimate relationship with a mortal, a woman known as "The Unnamed One". Koar blessed this union, binding them to each other for all eternity. From this union, Niima was born. Niima was raised by her loving parents and two of the Drakes, Wyan'Goethe and his female companion, Pier'Anthyia."
"During the Ur-Daemon war, Niima lost her mother in battle, along with the female Drake how had been a constant companion during her childhood, Pier'Anthyia, and eventually her companion, Wyan'Goethe. It was the death of Niima's mother and the ensuing grief that caused Charl to forbid anyone from ever speaking his wife's name. Hence the reason she is known as "The Unnamed One"."
Lirosyn furrows her brow, probably adding a wrinkle or two in the process.
Rovvigen weeps softly, quiet tears falling from his eyes.
Lirosyn Continues,"When Niima was very young, she discovered she had the magic to create fish, simply by thinking of the Drakes she loved so much, while playing near a body of water."
Lirosyn recites heartbrokenly: “Still grieving for his wife, Charl raged at the world, wreaking havoc on the sea and all who dared to explore it. Witnessing this for the first time drove Niima to tears. As her tears slipped into the sea, they created a tiny dolphins. As Charl watched his daughter weep, it calmed his rage for a brief time. It was then, that Niima realized the calming effect she would have on her father."
You place a hand over your heart.
An old priest wanders by, and picks up a few bread crumbs from the ledges housing the candles. He bows slowly to the statue and then scatters a few of the crumbs on the surface of the pool. The fish swimming within eagerly head up toward the surface for a bite. The old man smiles and puts the remaining crumbs back on the ledge, then shuffles off.
Lirosyn recite hopefully: "However, Niima was not always able to calm her father, so she took to saving those who were caught in his rage, saving the shipwrecked and drowning sailors from the turbulent seas."
Rovvigen nods to you.
Lirosyn recites playfully "As Niima got older, she developed an eye for the younger, more handsome sailors who fell victim to the sea, and would save them first, before returning for the others."
"Throughout her young life, she discovered the cruelty of man, and those who would hunt her beloved sea creatures for sport, instead of necessity of life. When these men took to the sea to slaughter her seaborne friends, only to sometimes find themselves caught in Charl's wrath, Niima was more reluctant to save them, letting the sea claim them."
Lirosyn recites quietly: "Now, if you all will take out your candles and light them, I ask that you gaze upon them, while I give a brief prayer to Lady Niima."
You gaze into the flickering flame of a pale grey jumping dolphin candle, lost in thought.
You kneel down.
You clasp your hands in a reverent gesture.
The glow from a pale grey jumping dolphin candle softly illuminates the shadows.
Lirosyn recites reverently ”Sweet protector of the seas and of wayward seafarers, Niima, we ask for your blessing this night, as we lay upon your altar our meager offerings."
A pale grey jumping dolphin candle burns with a warm golden light.
Lirosyn continues pleadingly "Though we are ignorant in this world and take the life of the inhabitants of the sea you love so well, we beg of your mercy that you will keep our loved ones safe."
A pale grey jumping dolphin candle flickers a moment and nearly goes out, then its flame springs to life again, burning merrily.
Lirosyn recites sorrowfully "We also ask that you temper your father's anger, and help him to see the good in man, instead of the foolishness that caused the Ur-Daemon war, that resulted in the loss of your dear mother and his wife, and unleashed his wrath upon us."
You murmur some prayers under your breath.
A faint, flickering light emanates from a pale grey jumping dolphin candle, warming the room with its glow.
The eyes on the statue of Niima flicker softly, the deep blue mermaid's-tear sapphires rippling with shadows and light like the depths of the sea.
Lirosyn recites desperately "Blessed Niima, as all water flows freely into the sea, we ask that your blessings also flow freely. Give unto us your wisdom, your peace and understanding, and your love, and we will remain your faithful servants."
You stand back up.
The Prophet steps up and speaks "Now if everyone will take out their sapphire and take a moment to look at the statue of Lady Niima"
"You will note that her eyes are in the perfect shape of a round mermaids-tear sapphire, this is the offering we will make to Niima.”
"One at a time please drop your sapphires in the pool and pay close attention for this is how we will receive a blessed Artifact"
You move to drop the mermaid's-tear sapphire into the pool, and as soon as it leaves your fingers the pool begins to pulse with a deep blue glow. The fish within fade away and the waters begin to spin rapidly, resembling a vortex. It rises up like a cyclone of water, plucking the gem from the air and swallowing it. You can see it within the whirling water vortex for several moments, sparkling and humming with power.
Suddenly the spiraling water column suddenly drops back into the pool, and the fish fade back into existence once again. Within the back of your mind, you think you hear a faint, girlish giggle.
Slowly a sound dawns upon your senses, like a soft wave breaking upon a distant shoreline. A gentle feminine voice full of mischievous merriment suddenly speaks, "That's so very sweet of you! These always remind me of the sea. If you ever miss the ocean's waves, the gentle ebbing of the tide, all you need to do is look into it, and you will be there."
Suddenly, a flash of bright blue light in your hand heralds the arrival of the gem you just dropped in, only its surface swims with bright streaks of silver like the scales of a fish.
Zailon wanders over to you, a silver-streaked sapphire in his hand, “Our work here is done. We continue onwards into the Isle of the Four Winds. Join the caravan as before, and lull yourself to sleep with the sounds of the ocean in your ears and know serenity.”
Sentinel Zailon speaks no more, and saunters off taking his post as rearguard. You feel yourself rocked to sleep by the motion of the caravan like that of soft ocean waves, the sounds of the sea not far from your mind.
Join The Order of the Sphere and Scythe on the 27th of Phoenatos (Saturday, August 27th) at 9pm elven in Gardenia Commons as we continue this Sacred Pilgrimage.
