Tales woven, the origins of faith.

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Deshana
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Tales woven, the origins of faith.

Postby Deshana » Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:48 pm

Figured I should put this up again, perhaps the line between vhaeraun/Eilistraee will be made more clear by this tale


The traveler headed silently towards the poors of the great Palace on the northern part of Leuthispar. The key in the hooded figures hand turned easily in the lock of the palace gates, soft boots making little sound on the marbled floors of the great palace of Evermeet, Home of the queen. The guards searched the figure for weapons, and, finding none, escorted her to the seneschal to petition for an audience. The cloaked woman gave her name, noting the elfs face go slightly pale, and watched as he scrambled towards the throne room. More guards moved into veiw, glareing down at the slight figure.
She bowed her head and whispered a prayer, awaiting her turn. Finally the Seneschal rapped his staff on the sleek marble floor. "Deshana, Her Majesty will see you now. Remove your cloak and come with me." He waited impatiently as the druid did as she was told. She wore only a simple green robe, and soft boots. She rose and followed him into the throne room of Luethispar.

Deshana paused at the end of the carpet before her queen and knelt, lowering her head. The queen widened her eyes slightly. "So, little traitor, What brings you before Us this day?" The Queens voice was dangerously soft, and the guards watched, tense, ready to spring. "Is this an attempt on Our life, little traitor?"

The druid shook her head. "No my Queen. I come only to tell you a tale, for your amusement, and perhaps, your enlightenment. Will you allow this?" Deshana boldly raised her eyes, challenge in her hard emerald gaze.

The Queen smiled coldly, rapping her nails against the arm of her throne, her sapphire hair gleaming in a shaft of sunlight. "Very well, litle traitor, Spin your tale. We shall see." She shifted herself into a more comfortable position, waveing her hand, indicating that the Druid should remain where she was. "Begin then, if you amuse Us.. well. We shall see."

Deshana lowered her eyes, gathering herself, then began to speak. Her soft lilting voice took on the cadense of a story-song. "In the time when the races of Elves and Orcs were young, and Humans but tiny tribes of savages, was the dawning of the Seldrine. Our gods were young then, Their King a powerful and charismatic leader, called Corellon, Sun bright and strong. Their Queen, lithe and supple as a shadow, skin the colour of ebony, hair as white as snow, and eyes that glowed violet red in the evening light, Arashune. The queen bore her husband twin children, both as dark and exotic as their mother, and the only of their kind in the Seldrine court."

"The orcs have ever desired the rule the beauty of the elven courts and lands, and Gruumsh chose this time of realtive peace as one ripe for striking. He attacked in waves, keeping Corellon away from his queen as his court fought back the ways or orcish gods, and minions. The queen was kept far from the fighting, in a bid to protect her fragile sensibilities from the horrors of war, instead, the young King took with him his advisors, including the lovely, tranquil moon goddess Sehenine. The goddess of the moon had ever loved their bright young king, and followed him willingly. She had never thought the dark goddess Arashune was worthy of her lord. Subtle and careful, perhaps without even realizing it, Sehenine began to seek Corellons company in a bid to win more from him then the position of advisor."

"The young Queen raised her two children, the daughter, as lovely as her mother, with the battle prowess of her father, dogged his footsteps, learning all she could. The son, followed his mother in learning, and the use of his mind. As the campaign against the Orcish gods dragged on Arashune began to hear whispers in her mind. 'He's unfaithful to you, oh Queen' seduced the voice.
She dismissed the voice as pure fantasy, and continued her daily business, railing at the silk her husband insisted on swathing her in, wanting to be by his side. Her Daughter certainly was. The Queen took comfort in the presence of her son, and taught him all she knew.. and the whispers continued."

Deshana wet her lips with water brought to her by a servant, directed by an imperious wave of a royal hand as her voice faltered. The Queen listened with evidence of legendary elven patience. "Go on, little traitor, your tale amuses me.. for now."

The druid bowed her head humbly in the direction of the queen, and took up her tale. "Increasingly alone and lonely, the queen was plagued by the odd voice. It whispered many things, but mostly of her husbands disloyalty to her. She began to believe. Corellon, for his part was mostly oblivious to his advisors increasingly blatant attempts at enticement. He was deeply in love with his young wife, and longed for a chance to return to her side. He watched his coltish daughter, her bow slung jauntily across her back, and missed her mother dreadfully. Finally the fighting cleared enough for a brief furlough, and Corellon rushed home, his advisors and daughter in tow."

The young King and Queen were reunited, and Arashune put her doubts aside in the joy of her husband. All was right in her world, for a little while. She agreed, one fine morning, to meet her king for a walk in the gazebo, and arived just in time to view Sehenine's most blatant attempt on her husband. As she rounded the corner the Queen saw the slender moon goddess wrapped rather firmly around her husband, kissing him passionatly! Aghast, Arashune fled, never seeing her husband set the moon goddess firmly aside, telling her certainly that he truely loved his queen. To Arashune, the world had ended.. the voices were right.. and the seed was planted."

Deshana paused, looking up. "Would you hear the rest of my tale, Oh Queen?"

The elven Queen inclined her head towards the druid. "Do continue, We wish to see if this ancient history has a point." Her tone was dry, slightly bored. "Go on, little traitor."

Deshana bowed aquiesnce and continued her tale. "Arashune did not meet her lord that day, insead fleeing to her bower, where her son found her, weeping heartbrokenly. Arashune had sought the dubious shelter of the bower for privacy, banishing all servants that they not see her so distraught. Her son begged her to tell him what was wrong, and, slowly, haltingly pried the story from her. The Queen told him everything, including, reluctantly, of the little voice telling her of her mates infidelity. Her son was outraged, swearing vengance. Arashune shook her head, despairing. 'What can we do?' she cried, sobbing against the strong shoulder of her son. 'Vengance... sieze power... It can be all yours... Show the bitch'

"Over the next weeks the voice cajoled, seduced, promised power and revenge, and the queen weakened. Finally, she contacted her sons favoured hunting partner, a young god, followed mainly by the sparse human tribes. Malar, known for savagry and viciousness. Perhaps she could persuade him to rid her of her rival. Malar, ever jealous and craving more power, readily agreed, and together, with Vhaeraun, her son, they plotted to kill the goddess of the moon."

"The one think Arashune was against was harming Corellon in any way. She loved him, she said, and would see no harm befall him. It was only that pale, sweet little Sehenine that must perish. Malar reluctantly agreed. There would come other times to strike at the elven God-King. Malar produced a fine bow, and wicked arrows meant for boar, or bear. The voice whispered, 'Poison.. Powerful poison. Be certain she is dead.' With the voice came directions to a deep hidden cave."

"Arashune went alone to the cave, and shuddered distastfully at the slime covered walls. Still, the poison the voice spoke of was here. Her eyes, better adjusted to darkness then even most of elvenkind allowed her to see in the pitch blackness without trouble. She ventured deeper, slippers becomming quickly ruined by the ooze that coated the floor of the cave. 'Over here,' whispered the voice.. for once not in her mind. Caution urged her to go no further, curiousity however... Arashune stepped into the darkest area of the deep, dank cave. The slime seemed to move and shift, a mouth forming, then an eye, then.. finally a man-shaped form."

"The slime-man bowed low and grinned as the Queen backed away, horrified. "What do you want!?" she exclaimed in sudden fear. 'Why... to help you my dear,' came the insidious whisper that by now she knew as well as her own heartbeat. 'To help you.' For long hours the two spoke in the damp, darkness of the icy cave. With each hour that passed, the twisting words of the slime god, for that was who he was, oozed and took shape through her mind like seeping poison. 'He will never love you like you deserve, if he did he'd never have taken that pale bitch to bed' The whispers continued in her mind, a subtle undercurrent to the civil voice of the god. 'The power to rule the seldrine can be yours,' the seductive purr continued. 'All the power.. all yours.'"

"Arashune hissed softly, in a voice as icy as the blade of a knife against the throat, "He must die too." Too befuddled by the voice of the Ooze-God, Arashune never stopped to think. He urged her to gather a vial of his essence to poison the arrows, and give them to the best shot with a bow that she knew of. "Eilistraee," The Queen spoke her daughters name with certainty. "She'd never betray her father though.. unless..." Arashune and the God of Elemental Ooze bent their heads.. and plotted."

"Sister!" Vhaeraun hailed his sibling before she could vanish to yet another war meeting. "Come hunting with me! You've been all too serious of late." Eilistraee laughed, dancing out of her twin brothers grasp. "One of us has to be! Always playing after mother, Don't you know theres a war on?" She smiled brilliantly up at her sibling. "Silly Vhaeraun.. Oh Alright." Eilistraee gave in to the woebegone expression on her twins face, missing the slightly calculating glimmer in his eye. "Lets go then, real gave this time, not those damned rabbits you like to hunt!" She teased him. "Oh, You'll get real game alright, sister. Like you've never hunted before!" Vhaerauns voice held an icy edge, and she looked at him, startled. "If you say so Brother.. Lets be off, I feel the wind calling me!" Eilistraee shot him another curious look before pelting off into the forest, her brother shouldered his new bow, checked his quiver, and followed ghostlike and silent, in her wake."

"Corellon watched his children as they ran into the forest, breathing a sigh of relief. He'd been hoping to find a way to distract his daughter today, it seemed Vhaeraun, for once, was being helpful. Today he was to fight Gruumsh, the cheifest of the orc gods, in single combat. He hadn't told Eilistraee, for fear she'd do somthing foolish, like challenge the orc herself. Last night he'd confided his fears for Eilistraee to his wife, tho lately it seemed as if they'd grown apart.. No matter, this battle should end the war, then he could again concentrate on his bride. Corellon left to ready his weapons for the battle."

"Eilistraee ran deep into the verdant lands surrounding the holdings of the Seldrine. "Isn't it lovely Vhae? No wonder the damned Orcs want it so much. So, What we hunting?" Vhaeraun chuckled a little at her exhuberance, despite this situation. "Boar I think, I want to try my new bow." He held up the magnificent bow crafted by Malar. Eilistraee gasped, and exclaimed appreciativly, and his teased her "I'll let you try it later, if you out hunt me." "Deal!" she cried, and set about tracking game. Malar used his powers to drive a boar across the path of the young hunters, and Eilistraee set off after it, running swifter then any deer, Vhaeraun followed, more cautiously, and made a small hand signal behind him. Malar signaled back with the sound of a wild hawk, and crept towards the Seldrine, intent on assassination of the goddess of the moon."

The room around Deshana had gone still, this was not part of the history of the Seldrine, as the Elves of Evermeet learned it.. All listened eagerly for the next part. Even the Queen had shed her boredom and watched, avidly.

"Eilistraee soon brought down the boar, and grinned in triumph at ther brother. "See, I out hunted you, Now can I see it? Please?" She begged eagerly, her silvery eyes glowing in the darkened forest. "Yes indeed, you've earned it." Vhaeraun handed her the bow, and a normal arrow, pointing out a leaf in a tree as a test target. She took aim, and fired, marveling at the power of the great bow. "Oh Vhae, this is incredible, where did you get it?" She beamed at him, failing again, to notice the gleam in his eye as he prevairicated, saying he'd won a bet against a bowyer. She grined, "you'll have to win me one." They teased back and forth, for a while, then, "See this bracelet?" Vhaeraun held out a simple silver hoop. "Bet you can't shoot this arrow through this bracelet when I toss it into the air. Even you can't manage that." He get an arrow with dull black fletching and a mankilling head from his quiver. The barbs on the arrow would barely clear the ring of the silver hoop. "If you can," he grinned ferally "I'll GIVE you the bow." She grinned, nocked the arrow and nodded."

"Meanwhile a bloody one on one battle raged in a forest clearning. Huge, powerful, Gruumsh laid about him with his enourmous axe, as his lithe opponent dodged nimbly around him, using spead against brute force. Corellon was a quarter of the brutish Orcs size, but three times as swift, neither was unmarked, both bleeding from superficial wounds. Gruumsh swore, screaming at Corellon to hold still and die, like a good bug, Corellon, laughing and taunting as he opened another gash in the Orcs meaty chest with his longsword. Corellon lunged forward with all the speed and agility that only the supreme god of elven kind is capable of, and *slash* Gruumsh reeled back crucking his face, as the orcs eye flew towards the far side of the clearing, flung from the tip of Corellons blade. "MY EYE!" Gruumsh bellowed as his stumbled back, retreating into the woods "You'll pay you Elven pansy! MY EYE!" A scream went up from behind elven lines, before Corellon could chase his enemy, Sehenine, struggling with a beastial creature, Half bear, half.. something un-namable. Corellon charged into the fray, intent on saving the moon goddess, as his people watched in shock."

"Malar saw the God-King bearing down on him, sword glowing with flame in the sunlight, and cursed his luck, fleeing into the forest. Corellon knelt beside the shaken goddess, looking at wounsd already festering from the unclean claws of the beast. "I knew you loved me,' gasped the wounded goddess, only to find herself gently set down. "As I love all my people. My Truest love, is my wife." Corellon stood up."

"Back in the forest, Eilistraee waited, her brother tossed the silver band high into the air.. she took aim.. and loosed the arrow, cheering as it sped neatly through the silver hoop and vanishing into the forest beyond. "You owe me a bow, Vhae. Thanks." She flashed him a saucy grin. He didn't return it.. listening intently. The enchanted arrow sped unerringly towards its goal, streaking straight for the heart of the king of the Seldrine. Corellon stiffened, then toppled over, an arrow with dull black fletching embedded to the feathers in his back, obviously piercing his heart. The Pantheon howled in greif and outrage, audible even to the two hunters.. and Eilistraee listened with dawning horror to the sound of her poeples grief. Vhaeraun grinned gleefully. "Foolish girl, congratulations. YOU have just slain Corellon." Vhaeraun cackled madly and bolted.. leaving Eilistraee to face the elven hosts bearing down on her. Bow dropping from nerveless fingers. It.. couldn't be true. She found herself surrounded by the Elven Host, and went numbly. Her Brother too was soon captured. Malar escaped using his abilities, and an alliance with the Orcs."

"Vhaeraun soon spilled the entire tale, how his mother hated Sehenine, for stealing her husband, and how she had allied with the Beastlord to get rid of her rival, even, dimly, his dealings with the Ooze god, and worse, with Gruumsh, inciting the Dual. Eilistraee, he claimed, was in it all along. The young goddess stayed silent, numb with greif after her fathers death was confirmed by witnesses. Arashunee was dragged before the court and tried, and found guilty of treason and the murder of her King and Husband, and the attempted murder of the goddess of the moon. Vhaeraun was charged as an accessory, and Eilistraee, not saying a word in her defence, was tried as her mothers partner in the crimes. They stood, and the speaker coldly began to pronounce sentance apon the trio of black skinned, silver haired elves. "Arashunee, Vhaeraun, Eilistraee, We the Seldrine convict you of Highest Treason, the sentance is.." "STOP" The voice rang with steel, and the crowd gasped, turning to the doors of the courthouse, where, unbelievably, stood Corellon, leaning heavily against Sehenine. "Tell me its lies Arashunee," Corellon pleaded, his voice shaking. Arashunee stood.. and leapt over the barrier towards Sehenine, screaming vile curses at the other goddess. The guards restrained the dark queen and bound her tightly. "So," Corellon said sadly.. "It was true.." He turned, gazing at Eilistraee, who looked up, hope flaring in her silver eyes. "Father? y.. You're alive?" The youngest goddess collapsed then, weeping tears of joy and relief. Over the next hours, Corellon extracted the truth from his wife and son. Learning Eilistraee was only a pawn in the game, he ordered the guards to release her. Eilistraee stood, numbly, and watched the rest of the trial."

"Finally Corellon sighed, shoulders slumping. "I loved you with all my heart Arashunee. I am sorry it came to this. Had Sehenine not found the miracle to bring me back from the brink of Death, I would not be here, because of the depths of your mistrust and hatred. My heart is shattered, but I can be merciful, thus you shall continue to live, in a form befitting your betrayal." As he spoke Arashunee tried once more to lunge towards Sehenine. "If not for HER," she screamed, "if you hadn't turned to HER..." Arashunee trailed off into incoherant sobbing. "Don't you see, Arashunee? I never turned to her... I loved only you..." Corellon gazed once more at his maddened wife, then, sadly, "For your crimes, I banish you to live in the darkness of the abyss, far from the Seldrine, where you can do no more harm. As a Spider, mate killing you are, so shall you appear." Corellon waved his hand, and the transformation took hold. Her face, still lovely, was all that remained, attached now to the fat body of an enormous black spider. "You Loath the Seldrine, thus shall you be renamed Lloth. Vhaeraun, for your treatchery, you will accompany your mother into the abyss to live out your days." Corellon waves his hand again, and a pit opened, Arashunee, too new to her form, could do nothing to stop her tumble into blackness... save snatch at Vhaerauns leg as he tried to jump out of the way."

"Corellon, at his courts urging, banished too, all of the elvenkind who shared Lloths colouring, in fear that they too shared her madness. he banished the people, calling them Drow, tho they were as elven in origins as any pale skinned elf. He sent them to live in the darkness in hopes of preventing furture terror by punishing all. He then turned to Eilistraee and was startled to see her packing. "Where do you go daughter? You have been exhonerated in these crimes." Corellon looked at her set face in bewilderment. "I need you beside me more then ever daughter."
Eilistraee gazed at her father soberly for a long time. "The people you have just condemned will need guidance, if there is ever to be peace in the Seldrine. I go now to be that guide back to Light, now that you have stolen it from them. Think carefully Father, for the punishment you dealt was not Justice." With that Eilistraee walked into the forest, ignoring her fathers calls to her to return. Eilistraee moved to a corner of the Abyss, still serving the light, and trying to guide Drow and Elves alike into the belief in the possibility of peaceful resolve. Most times, the hatred of Lloth for the Seldrine prevails.. Sometimes though, pause.. and even peace can be made."

Deshana looked up challengingly at the Queen of Evermeet. "Thus is my tale, and my reasons. I will protect Luethispar with my life. But I will fight against sensless hatred jsut as hard. These are my vows and Reasons. The Balance was tipped that day, by the actions of the Seldrine. I seek to rememdy, and teach the light. Judge me now, For I am at your mercy."





ooc most know that, after this event Deshana was tried, and convicted of a crime she did not commit. she was exiled. Ashemiem severed her soul for a crime that never happened. Corellon reversed it as is demonstrated in another of the tales and she is no longer an exile, but the injustice burns, and she avoids the island, save when aiding younger elves.
Lahgen
Sojourner
Posts: 542
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:58 am

Postby Lahgen » Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:49 am

At a small village tavern on the way to Zhentil Keep, Lahgen quaffed a pint of ale back, as he listened to another minstrel's account of Deshana's trial.

As the minstrel finished his tale, Lahgen laughed in an uncharacteristically raucous manner.
"Hah!" Lahgen spat drunkenly, "so he was right! The elves are all racist bastards after all!
Even their fool king rushes to judgement!" he winced, as he rubbed the scar ring around his neck.

OOC: Very nice and interesting story, Desh. :)
Kesena OOC: 'i wish my daddy bought me power tools'
Dorgh group-says 'damn, even with Cofen helping Mori, they STILL can't kill someone
Hekanut says 'I know level doesn't matter much, but most won't take seriously if a level 2 claims to be the best thing before, during, and after sliced bread.'

Rather than seeing "subpar race/class," see "challenge."

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