From alt.pub.dragons-inn Wed May 25 09:15:14 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7295 Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!agate!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!munnari.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!giaec!clben1 From: clben1@giaec.cc.monash.edu.au (Ceredwyn Bensley) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: FAITH: Translating Mysteries Date: 25 May 94 03:57:32 GMT Organization: Monash University Lines: 233 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: giaec.cc.monash.edu.au Keywords: faith X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 #4 (NOV) "My body translates mysteries with ease. My body is the Book of How to Go. I swear my ways are as deep as water's ways..." - Philip Dacey. Characters...: Delmara (from Alfvaen and his cast of thousands ;) Laroo (AJH) Devious (Ceredwyn...) [We're glad to have others to join in the fun We're glad to invite other writers and scribes But when the darkness is falling and the day is done Remember what crouches in darkness and hides ;] Aitreni heard a loud knocking on the door of the temple. After a quick glance to ensure that Jad was still asleep, she went to answer it. Standing in front of the door was a man of medium height, with dark hair and eyes. He was less attractive than average; common-looking would have been a compliment for the likes of this one. She felt sorry for Delmara if this one asked her...and then she shuddered briefly at the thought that _she_ might have to, with such as he, someday... But there was something about him that put her off, and she instinctively took a half-step back. It was his eyes: there was something in the way he looked at her that left her feeling as though she were an insect being scrutinized. "Can I help you?" she said. "The morning service won't be for another hour." "I'm not here for the service," the man said gruffly. "My name is Laroo and I want to talk to Delmara." "She's with someone right now, if you want to come in and wait..." "I know she's with someone," Laroo interrupted. "I want to speak to them both." With some misgivings, Aitreni stepped back, letting Laroo inside. He looked around curiously. "This way," she said, taking him to the office. Before she could introduce him he somehow slipped by her and shut the door in her face. "We could have common interests," Laroo said to both women. "I know a little about Ravenloft." Although she was lying down, the movement of the Paladin's hand to her sword did not go unnoticed by Laroo... Devious' eyes went quite flat. It was obvious that this introduction was not the way to make her acquaintance. She looked into Laroo's eyes and gave a very dead smile, one often seen on the faces of those who have little patience for others. Her fingertips deliberately flicked lightly over the dimly glowing pommel. They were the hands of a mage rather than a fighter. Enough, she told herself calmly, you give away too much. Delmara's reaction was similar to Aitreni's. She had bedded worse in the past, and had grown somewhat inured--and besides, this was the Temple of her Goddess--but she still mentally catalogued her defenses. Devious looked up. "What is your name, 'I know a little about Ravenloft'?" Her voice smoothed over suddenly, to Delmara's surprise. It was now quite friendly. Looking up, Devious knew Laroo had understood. The message was recieved. This Paladin was quite content with deceit, and as equally content with hiding her true self. Let the other answer as he would, faith would be hard to win on both sides. She had a mage's hands, and the thought struck him, 'A mage that had access to both types of magic could teach me a lot'. He also noted the distinct change in the woman's voice from what he had heard outside. Laroo was surprised that the Paladin had any capability for subtlety. He prepared for the inevitable when dealing with Paladins... As Laroo opened his mouth he felt the tingle of clerical magic, the "metallic taste" that it left on his mind. Yes, he recognized the spell as one from a Paladin, he had experienced it before, although this woman's god was a bit heavy handed with her power. He did not resist as this, with his looks, was was the best way to get acquainted. The spell would tell her nothing in either form that she used it. The Paladin's eyes widened a little. "I am Laroo", he said. "I am the Devious Paladin. I am known..." she struggled and then said the words as though they were vinegar, "by my false name Devious Silverblu. I do not know my true name. I am a Paladin of Ravenloft. I am feared by three Dark Lords... and I fear the rest." The alarms went off in Laroo's mind as he thought to himself, 'What kind of a creature a could a Ravenloft Lord fear in their own domain? But if three Lords feared her, then she would not be in the dire straights in which she appeared to be.' He needed more information... "Well, Laroo," Delmara broke in, "would you mind answering a few questions? How did you know we were talking about Ravenloft? How do you know we have common interests? Don't you think it perhaps a bit presumptuous to walk into a strange temple without the invitation of she who serves She whose temple it is?" Delmara's eyes were glinting with a strange light. Then the light disappeared and she smiled. "But She, of course, has already determined that, even uninvited, you may enter--this time. In the future you may not be so fortunate. "So--satisfy us that we do indeed have common interests. Or that you even have an idea what our interests are." Laroo's mind went through the convoluted logic: 'The Paladin is obviously more than she seems, but then so are most things from Ravenloft, she could even be a Lord' 'The priestess did not cast a spell, so was probably in communion with her god' 'Her god did not take action against the Paladin, therefore the Paladin may not be a threat, for the time being.' 'If the Paladin was a Lord that had escaped, she would not want to return to Ravenloft, time would tell' "No, I will answer a few, provided the spell casting session is over?" Laroo asked in the archly disappointed manner which, in years past, he had reserved for his student pickpockets that blundered. The tone widened both their eyes. Now came the delicate part. He did not know what sort of protective spells they or the temple had in place, so keeping a grain of truth and no falsehoods in everything he said he continued. "Thank you. But what I said was that we could have common interests, not that we did, yet.." "As for knowing that you were talking about Ravenloft, the whole Pub heard it, which is from where I came, AND," Laroo emphasized the word for the benefit of the Paladin, "since a wounded female Paladin muttering that name is not an everyday occurence, by tomorrow the whole town will probably know it as well." The women wore poker faces, but he had their full attention now. "If you are what you say, Silverblu, and are seeking help in another plane no less, then one could deduce that you are in more than serious trouble." Devious smiled slightly. Not a pleasant smile, but there was something almost cynically amused in it. She appeared to be almost grinning. "As I said, we could have mutual interests; you see, I am available for partnerships. My price varies according to the endeavour and is not necessarily measured in currency... "And, it would seem that your last question has been answered, Priestess..." He waited for the women to respond. Devious flexed her fingers, lowered her eyes and said, "I am a Paladin of the nineteenth rank. I have worked...under very difficult conditions...to achieve this level of excellence. And yet now I find myself weakened and in a strange land. I need help." She looked up, and Laroo caught a flash of some strange emotion in her eyes. Suddenly she was young and almost frightened, the unreasoning horror that a child possesses in the dark. "Before you offer, think, lurker in darkness. Your scent is tinged with that of the Demi-plane. Even I can sense it. I look up and I see that you know much, but you do not understand the fear that *must* be in your heart! You must hold an ice-core of horror in your soul to fight this thing with me. Delmara can compass the fear--she has recognised what power this thing will have over her." Delmara raised her eyebrow at this, wondering if she truly had the strength Devious ascribed to her, but remained silent. The Paladin stood up and leaned over, looking at Laroo as she unlaced her gauntlet from her slender arm. She then removed the silver scaled greaves and took the gauntlet off and rolled up her sleeve to the shoulder. Her arm's skin was a pale tan, but each hair seemed curiously flanged and slightly feather-like. That, however, was not what the paladin pointed to. A long, ugly healing wound twisted up her wrist and inner arm. It almost looked like a suicide attempt. Laroo saw the wounds and noticed the curious hair on her arms. He had seen something similar before, somewhere... it would come back to him eventually. "I did this to myself, Laroo," she said. "It made me do this. Think. Think of where I live and the fortitude I require to survive. Then think of a beast which could force me to inflict this upon myself. It is terrible. I will pay, if I must, but I will not allow anyone - even one principled as you are--to go against this thing without knowing the consequences. It killed my unicorn warhorse. It nearly slew me." She rerolled her sleeve, then re-laced her gauntlet and said, "It will echo the darkest depths of your soul, and that is its trap. There is something... enticing about the freedom in that blackness." She paused. "Laroo, are you with us? If so, I will pay in the manner you need. That, also, you must state." 'Devious is an apt name,' Laroo thought to himself. Before he could reply, she turned to the cleric and asked, "Delmara?" Delmara sighed. "I would think that you could get better allies than me. But then, if this thing shows so much of the inner nature, perhaps it is best that the group be kept small so that we each know we can rely on the others." She looked at Devious. "You still want to find Alfvaen? I hope that can be done easily, but who knows...he's been elusive on occasion, and I've had little news of him for months. And we didn't part on the best of terms. Still, one would hope that Moriarty would know where he is. "So what now? Do we split up, each preparing as we will? Do we stay together, trying to learn about each other so we can work as a team? This thing will search out all our weaknesses, so it is best we know them all beforehand, for fewer surprises. "Will this temple suffice as a headquarters for the nonce? It isn't as well-frequented as it might be," she smiled wryly, "but that might be an advantage. We don't want any more people falling prey to this creature than we can avoid." A flicker of concern crossed her face. "Of course, there is the question of what to do with Aitreni and Jad in this case. I doubt they are up to facing this. They have enough darkness in their past as it is." Devious paused, shifted. "I would not like to have more blood on my hands," she said softly, seriously. "If it comes here--and it can pose as normal quite easily--it would attack us all. It is vicious. I would suggest we take the battle to it rather then lure it into town...where there are many innocents. Yet we might retire here after searching for it. I can feel the power." She looked up comfortably at the walls. "Let me then suggest we hunt it, falling back if wounded or tired or in need of equipment, to your Lady's House." Laroo said "I must better understand this threat. What does this creature look like? Is it only capable of attacking with this 'spiritual reflection?' How does it move? Can it fly? Swim? How fast?" He saw in the eyes of the women that this was too abrupt for them. It was always like this, "social niceties" they called it. A waste of time from his point of view; more often than not people wasted time on stupid things. It was obvious that they needed time to prepare, but he needed more information...