Description
Blonde and spare like a willow's branch, this elf exudes an air of
shallow aloofness, as though the very ground beneath is feet
is barely worthy to support his soft leather boots.
Eyes the hue of pale amber gaze casually out of a tranquil face,
unmarred by concerns or age, flawless but for the whisper-thin
lines of some exceedingly sharp blade. His leathers are
-aside from a few recently gathered pieces-bleached and then
dyed the soft green of avocados or crushed mint leaves.
A number of fine white scars cover his forearms and hands,
and a dried red smear covers the bridge of his nose. The beginnings
of a wrinkle are appearing at each corner of his eyes, hinting at
advanced years.
Role
A poem to Baerinika, inspired by a conversation with Lyriana
Added Thu Sep 13 19:41:05 2007 at level 51:
Proclaimed perfection is a timeless lie
That whisp'ring lovers utter in their chase
To win some pleasure and a brief embrace,
But such a word well fits my elfin Muse
Whose sparkling voice has born my tortured soul
From dagger's bloody death to soaring heights.
In verdant darkness walks this vision bright
Ethereal beauty and unearthly grace
Like brilliant stars adorn her ageless face
To sunder shadow and enlighten hearts.
Her purity and valor hearts infuse
Of priests and followers, their count untold.
I chastely love thee, Muse, and 'tis my goal
To be a deadly jaguar in my own way,
So when the jungle lays its final claim
May hidden Ancients find I've done my part,
Illumined dark and grew the Tree.
When I held no hope you had faith in me.
Twisted every-which-way
Added Tue Jul 24 13:38:42 2007 at level 51:
Recently a god of magic appeared to me, telling me
how the actions of one of our deadliest killers and
taken his soul and turned it toward a more shadowed
path. The murder of innocents condemns his spirit, though
I acknowledge he may hunt as he wishes. Still, this
god brought justice to the Tree, and after fierce
bathing in the river I was able to see that he helped
make things right by bringing it to my attention.
I am recently freed from a prison of mountain and ice,
and it was the actions of Twist that led to my freedom.
Free, now, to act on the behalf of the Tree, to carry
out the mission that is to be a warrior of the light,
a chosen of Baerinika. He used his powers to free me,
and in my confused state I went to my goddess's temple
to pray. My prayers were as confused as my feelings,
and I heard no answer until I opened my eyes.
I looked about her temple, and I saw the mystic runes
and verdant jungle all about me. No taint had penetrated
me when I became one with the wilds therein. Magic
need not be evil.
Then I looked upon her rune-covered spear, and I saw
how it glowed with the brilliant light of the sun.
A similar weapon, the dagger named the Light of Redemption,
had sat in the hollows for some several weeks now, a
weapon well suited to destroying the defiling duergar
that plague Thar-Eris, but that has been sitting unused.
Baerinika had answered me after all.
The turn of the seasons
Added Wed Jul 11 23:54:50 2007 at level 51:
"The spirits speak to me, and thus I wish to see the blight of the cities removed role + forever andThar-Eris made whole again. I request an audience with
the Sunwarden that I may employ my spells to aid the mother and punish the
defilers."
Xinrithil stared at the thin leather scroll and the delicate script that
introduced another applicant. His long fingers, etched with hair-fine
scars and stained from the hurried skinning of an orc, held back the curling
ends of the scroll as he read it again and again.
More magic in the wilderness. He let the scroll wind close upon himself, as he
considered the applicant. It would be so easy, he thought, to rule out of hand
against the applicant. Every time he was near a mage, friend or foe, somehow
the foul taint of their powers wrapped around him, touching him. Only shape-
shifters were decent enough to only defile themselves, like drunkards trying
to reshape their perception of the world through ale. He gave a wry smile at
that, for the shapes they created were invariably mimics of nature. It had
been rumored that more than one shifter had lost his identity to his forms,
showing the quiet influence of the Mother in all things.
Still, despite overly-helpful invokers and transmuters too often placing their
taints upon him, properly educated they could be used to further the cause.
He sighed, knowing he would have to put his own tastes second to the needs
of the Ancients and Thar-Eris.
Here was another application from a thief. He set that off to the Unlikely
pile. It would be nice having a thief or assassin to detect those who hid
along the roads, but he had yet to see such who lasted longer than a full moon.
Two rangers, and here was a missive from a druid errantly given to him.
Excellent.
After a brief walk he returned the last message to Lin-Ha and leaned against
a branch, as he was accustomed to doing. "For Linaeren, I should think."
The venerable trader accepted it into her grasp and made it disappear into
the bole of a tree. "Many notes come your way," she crooned in a silken
voice incongruent with her appearance. "The cycle seems to be turning."
"Ha! Compared to when I first found my way here, the woods are teeming with
new life. At times I cannot believe how the forests echo with the din of
Outlanders." He snickered. "Or Imperials, depending upon the time of day."
"Will you cull the young?" she asked. For a moment her face seemed viciously
delighted, but so quickly it changed to inscrutable innocence he questioned
whether it what he saw was real or a trick of the forest shadows.
"There is no need. The strong will survive, and if all prove strong,
then Thar-Eris will be closer to what it once was. "
Lin-Ha grinned. "That would make for lively trade. I might be able to
live out the rest of my days in comfort."
Xinrithil laughed again. Lin-Ha was rumored to have been in attendance
for as long as the Tree had stood, and he was certain she would well outlive
him. Climbing back through the branches to where he had woven a comfortable
mesh sling, he thought about his own situation.
He had never expected to have lived this long, but his oath to Baerinika
prevented him from being blatantly suicidal, and the blessings provided
by the Ancients had leant him
The Silent Tower
Added Fri Jun 1 06:58:30 2007 at level 51:
At long last I found entrance to this place I've heard in the hushed whispers
of my elders and the braggadocio of the young hopefuls. The path there was fraught
with dangers, clearly meant to discourage elves above all races to venture there,
but I was undaunted, and found the dimension reasonably accommodating for someone with my
preference for the out-of-doors. The building itself lacked the fresh air and sunlight I crave,
but one need not be a digger to appreciate the smooth organic curves of the walls and the freedom
from noise those halls offer.
In my research I had heard of the Biomancer, and it was my hope that in seeing
his work I might overcome my fears of the taint that is magic. This was not the case, however:
as I reached out to the Ancients to appraise the quality of the Biomancer's work,
I was sickened as the attainted magic stole into me, revealing the unwholesome nature
of the place and what he does. He is no different than the perverse mages who created
minotaurs, and I think he far above the latter needs to be destroyed.
From there I stumbled upon loathsome undead I sought to destroy, and on this path of blood
and destruction I thought to pull down the very stones of that accursed place. I know now, though,
that I am unequal to the task, for in that stone citadel the powers of the Ancients cannot aid me,
and I have neither the might of the Battleragers nor the taint of the magi to protect me.
Some day I might venture there in the company of those who best understand what magic
and the Silent Tower are, but I fear that I am too fragile to be little more than a feeble dependent.
This galls me to my core.
The Epiphany
Added Wed Apr 25 21:49:57 2007 at level 51:
We were trying to kill Imperials, and during the course of our pseudo-
raid things went bad. I should have called off the raid immediately
after the first omen occurred, when Roa began to casually attempt to
place elemental shields upon me.
Battles can be chaotic times, and this battle was no different. Imperial
summoners whisked Martanis away from the group, Roa recalled shortly
after, and centurions were raised behind us, preventing me from fleeing.
I was overcome by the group of imperials quite quickly, and then they
raided the Tree.
Martanis made it back for the defense, but the might of the army was
too great and Martanis fell as I sat there, helpless to aid him, and
with his passing all hope of a defense against the raid was lost.
Had I carried a teleport potion, I might have survived and the raid might
not have occurred.
Intellect tells me that I have been irrational to find protective magics
abhorrent, for many a time have my enemies placed their accursed spells
upon me. An ally's spells and potions drunk might aid me against my enemies,
and it is foolish of me to forego a fillet that might make me live a bit
longer because I know it carries a tincture of poison within it.
Why then, can't I bring myself to use these unnatural means to benefit
myself?
I pondered this question long and hard as the night wore on, and I watched
the stars move across the sky in their slow and subtle spiral. My enemies
use magic liberally, and the touch of their vile spells has not corrupted
me beyond to the point I would rather end my own life rather than join them
in battle. Might I be more effective if I were to clench my teeth and use
magic, too?
And then it occurred to me, that I do not simply fight battles against
the concrete opponents of Thar-Eris, but that I fight for a way of life
that for too many has been forgotten. If I adopt the methods of my enemies,
I have lost to them and the old ways will have died. To fight against
the odds, to show nobility and perserverance in the face of adversity,
and to offer myself as an example of how to live and die is the one way
I can ensure that the Return may occur after I have given up my last breath.
Thus, though I will use the gifts the Ancients give me, I resolve I will
not defile my person or my cause, though it will result in my enemies
spilling my blood upon the ground.
First meeting with Baerinika
Added Mon Mar 26 19:58:19 2007 at level 51:
As has been often his custom during his middle years, Xinrithil
had been visiting the recently found shrine to Baerinika, the
goddess of purity and hopefully the one deity who might be able
to cure him of his affliction. To his surprise, as the mists
parted he saw the maiden speaking with another supplicant.
After distracting himself elsewhere while they conversed, Xin
approached the goddess and asked her to spear him through the
heart and purify him with her light.
Baerinika didn't show a strong desire to run the elf through,
but she did explain her views on the nature of purity and
made the first efforts that any have made to heal Xin's
illness. The two exchanged the following bloodoath:
Baerinika:
May we walk side by side in this realm, two pure spirits always
stepping forward rather than back.
May our actions justify our means, and may our means be of clarity
and focus for the light.
And may the sacrifices we make further the light, for our stand is
what protects that which we love.
Xinrithil:
For the light, for life, and Thar-Eris that is home to us all. Let
it be as we so swear.
Sunwarden
Added Mon Mar 26 19:56:54 2007 at level 51:
It was a strange day indeed when an Ancient appeared before
Xinrithil and discussed become Sunwarden when there were others
whom Xin felt were more capable than he for leadership. Xin
knew that his aversion to all things magical would hinder him
greatly when fighting the enemies of Thar-Eris, and his discomfort
at the thought of entering urban areas meant that raiding cabal was
largely outside of his normal To Do list. What were the Ancients
thinking?
It was made clear to Xin that the Sunwarden was not meant to fill
the role of Nightreaver. There were plenty within the Refuge whose
thirst for blood satisfied that aspect of Nature, but there was also
a need for those who might teach the young and the ignorant of how
to bring their lives into harmony with the natural world. Xin
acknowledged that he had acted repeatedly as a teacher, specifically
to receptive elves within the Tribunal, and in his mind considered
Tallanalas's departure from the Spire as a personal victory and his
respectful relationship with Maethron as a sign that there was merit
to his world view.
Still, Xinrithil does not see himself as a leader, for that would
require him to have a healthier self-esteem. He has accepted that
he can only continue living has he has lived and strive to live an
increasingly pure life, free from the taints of civilization and magic,
and if the god favor his efforts, he might show more people how to
live properly.
Explication of Role (properly formatted)
Added Sun Mar 18 20:21:14 2007 at level 47:
Xinrithil was raised on the very outskirts of Darsylon
to a single mother, an elven maiden who lost her husband
to a raid. Aside from the cliquishness of elven society,
the young Xin was raised in a loving community and would
likely have grown to be "normal" if it were not for a second
event that occurred that day.
What was not known was that prior to his father's death, Xin
had stumbled through the brush and discovered the entrance to
a temple of Zurcon. Although he was wise enough to not enter,
he has vague dreams even to this day of how it felt to touch
the worked stone, defiled by dark magics, and in these dreams
the magical taint moves like a black ichor through his skin
into his blood. Intellectually Xin knows he did not cause the
death of his father or others killed in the raid, but
the events of that day are powerfully associated and trigger
intense feelings of guilt and unworthiness that are poorly
masked.
During his early life, Xin traveled a great deal with young
members of the Village, and in his talks with Twilakon and
Onizuka came to see a relationship between the Taint his
friends spoke of and the feeling of corruption Xinrithil
experienced when he touched the dark temple. And with this
epiphany, Xinrithil allowed them to introduce him to Tahren
and the services he provides the Village. As he watched
Tahren destroy the few magical items in his possession,
Xin felt a freedom he had not felt before, a wholesomeness
that he had long desired.
Thereafter eschewed anything that was obviously impure,
whether it carried the taint of civilization or magic. Neither
is inherently evil, as it were, but in his quest to purify
himself and keep himself so, he strives to maintain a
natural lifestyle. This is what led him to discuss life
in the Refuge with the Sunwarden Lanning a second time,
accepting a branch within the Tree.
To this day, the use of magic near him or upon him makes him
quite uncomfortable, which exhibits itself in ways that draw
disturbed looks from those near him. Supplications and natural
substances that augment abilities are acceptable, but the use
of magical items and having spells cast upon him are avoided
whereever possible.
Explication of Role
Added Sun Mar 18 20:16:54 2007 at level 47:
was raised on the very outskirts of Darsylon
a single mother, an elven maiden who lost her husband
a raid. Aside from the cliquishness of elven society,
young Xin was raised in a loving community and would
have grown to be "normal" if it were not for a second
that occurred that day.
was not known was that prior to his father's death, Xin
stumbled through the brush and discovered the entrance to
temple of Zurcon. Although he was wise enough to not enter,
has vague dreams even to this day of how it felt to touch
worked stone, defiled by dark magics, and in these dreams
magical taint moves like a black ichor through his skin
his blood. Intellectually Xin knows he did not cause the
of his father or others killed in the raid, but
events of that day are powerfully associated and trigger
feelings of guilt and unworthiness that are poorly
his early life, Xin traveled a great deal with young
of the Village, and in his talks with Twilakon and
came to see a relationship between the Taint his
spoke of and the feeling of corruption Xinrithil
when he touched the dark temple. And with this
Xinrithil allowed them to introduce him to Tahren
the services he provides the Village. As he watched
destroy the few magical items in his possession,
felt a freedom he had not felt before, a wholesomeness
he had long desired.
eschewed anything that was obviously impure,
it carried the taint of civilization or magic. Neither
inherently evil, as it were, but in his quest to purify
and keep himself so, he strives to maintain a
lifestyle. This is what led him to discuss life
the Refuge with the Sunwarden Lanning a second time,
a branch within the Tree.
this day, the use of magic near him or upon him makes him
uncomfortable, which exhibits itself in ways that draw
looks from those near him. Supplications and natural
that augment abilities are acceptable, but the use
magical items and having spells cast upon him are avoided
possible.
A nightly prayer
Added Sat Feb 24 11:56:59 2007 at level 29:
I pray to you, my goddess, to help me become pure.
I'm beset by the demons that taint my very existence, and
since I left home I've scarcely touched the impure trappings
of civilization or the poison that is magic. Still, though,
I am haunted by my unworthiness, and so I am moved at times
of duress to my smaller blades to punish myself. And this,
too, is a sin against all that I was raised by, but I cannot
fight long against this compulsion.
Let your light rain down and burn me pure, and may my ashes
nurture the next generation. Until then, I will struggle to
find yet more ways to purge this shell of its faults, until
I become a worthy vessel of your love.
Simply being
Added Thu Feb 8 00:01:16 2007 at level 1:
Concentric circles scribe our space
impose untoward limits upon our lives
The secret path to private Grace
is finding purity of a kind.
The heat of combat purges thoughts
and frees us to live the now
But rare is one that is without
the dross that accompanies a sullied mind.
He's flawed, tis true, but he runs a race
become pure of thought and deed he strives
Before the circling spheres his life erase.