Post by Lady Frost on Nov 28, 2013 17:38:56 GMT -5
I wanted to start this thread to keep DM McGuffin's official post(er)s separate from our characters' RP.
Originally posted here: frc.proboards.com/post/227981/thread
By: Thrym
-------------------------------------------------
It’s a frosty, but busy morning in Valkur’s Roar. Undetered by a cold wind blowing from the Stormhorns, the citizens go about their business in the marketplace.
All in all, it is a day like any other. Even the strange white robed woman that makes her way through the crowd barely is paid attention to. They had seen too many adventurers come and go to still care here, mostly courtesy of the nearby madhouse called Greatgaunt. The little priestess moves easily between the giants surrounding her, garbed in flowing, yet simply cut robes, their stark whiteness only disturbed by the symbol of Torm emblazoned upon her cloak. Hood pulled into her face, a humble staff in her hand the halfling makes her way towards one of the stalls.
She stifles one last cough and murmurs a brief prayer, looking fragile and small indeed amidst the humans. Her gaze wanders about the area, taking in her surroundings, or maybe the people in it. Her head is shaken by the slightest of nod… and with a startlingly effortless movement of her body and staff, she flings herself on top of the stall, a blob of perfectly clean white amidst the gray stone and dull surroundings, tiny yet towering above the crowd. One of her hands reaches for her hood to slowly push it back, revealing a pale, comely face and long hair every bit as surreally white as her clothes. She takes a few steps along the edge of the stall, then raises her free hand towards the crowd, casually resting the other on her staff.
“People of Valkur’s Roar”
The bard-priestess’ voice is clear, and seems to carry much further and more firmly than normal sound should. Her clear blue eyes wander over the crowd, seeming to lock gaze for but a split second with any who glance up at her.
“I am Unproven Tasha of Torm.
Perhaps you have heard of me.
Perhaps you remember me. “
She pauses for but a second, as if to let her name sink in, but not long enough for any more than that.
“Likely though, you do not. And why would you? There are so many important things on your minds. Not just today’s business, or this tendays, no – this is a time of change for Valkur’s Roar. It has been too long since I visited your fair city, but maybe that is a good thing, for it makes me see all the more clearly how things have changed. I see new businesses, I see prosperity where once there was decay, see enthusiasm where once was apathy, see hope where there was naught but the notion of a bleak future!”
She makes a fist, and the slightest hint of a smile seems to form on her face. Her hand moves with as much enthusiasm as she mentions in her speech, underlining every line of hers with a simple, yet effective movement.
“Valkur’s Roar has grown strong once more. Not just for the work of new nobles. Not out of simple divine favour. Most certainly not because of the machinations of some random adventurers thinking themselves the centre of the multiverse. No, it is the people who have pulled the cart out of the dirt, and their will shall now determine where the journey goes!”
The smile turns more and more mischievous.
“Now, I know what you’re thinking. Great! Another priest, here to try and talk us into voting whomever she supports to be Highpriest. Maybe even thinks herself suitable. Thinks that cute lil speech there has us eating out of her hand.”
The grin turning into a sincere smile once more, she gracefully lowers herself to sit on the edge of the stall.
“Strangely enough, that is not why I am speaking to you today. Under most circumstances, would I prefer a triadic candidate? Oh, sure. I shall not lie about that. But this city has suffered long and much.
It needs more than economic prosperity.
It needs more than love, rest, comfort, even justice –
It needs all of these things, things it has lacked for so long, and more. When I returned to this country, I saw your election has been delayed. I saw that some clerics would not play by the rules, and would seek to use the very methods this city has suffered under long enough.
But even more than that, I see discord.
There are ten nobles voting. There are yet seven candidates. Among them are many who would make fine spiritual leaders. Be it now or during my last visit to Cormyr, I’ve conversed with many of them, and learned to respect both their devotion and what they stand for.”
With every word, her smile seems to grow more radiant. Her hands soon find themselves calmly in her lap, her staff resting below them across her legs. Her voice is warm and melodic, her gaze kind and … then the pleasantry fades.
“But there are those among them who are not like that. There are those who seek to further only their own twisted ideals, those who wear a mask of courtesy and empathy, but behind it are naught but devout servants of the vile god whose claws strangled this city once before, even when they use the name of his … mistress.
You may think I dramatize. People like that would never gain more votes than the servants of good! Even if their lies and promises draw a few of the nobles to their side, never could they gain the upper hand. But the scary thing, my friends…”
She pauses for a moment, her head shaking ever so slightly.
“Is that they do not have to. They do not need ten votes. Not nine, eight, seven, not even five – they just need the votes of the good churches to be split. Right now, we have a sunite, a selúnite, two tyrrans, a waukeenar – all decent folk, all of whom intend only the best and have much to offer, I know of those I met and believe of those I have not – but these people will each draw votes away from another. When each of them just has one or two votes, how much easier is it for the servants of evil to win and once more tighten their grasp around this cities' throat?”
She raises her staff from her lap, using it to point towards the Temple of Hoar.
“They tell me this city was once home to a communal temple for the gods of light. They tell me that all the pious folk of old Redmist used to gather in it to celebrate all that is good in life, not mere aspects of that which makes life worth living!”
With one swift movement, she hops back to her feet, raising the staff into the air.
“This is the message of a better past. Why is it not the message of a better future? Why do we bicker and compete, when the greatest strength of good is and has always been unity? This is no time for promoting one worthy god above the other, this is a time to make a stand, for a new, better Valkur’s Roar, to form a united front, a wall against which the tides of evil shall shatter as they do against the walls of this glorious city!”
Her hands move firmly, her voice overflowing with passion in the way that only that of a master of the bardic arts can.
“I call upon my brethren and sisters, not among the Triadic Faiths alone, but among all who walk within the light, to those who seek a better future for Valkur’s Roar, to look at the larger picture: Is it worth squabbling about who is to be Highpriest among BRETHREN? Let us combine our strengths against the wicked. Divided, the vile torturers who’d seek to cover their horrid desires behind honeyed words must but overcome one of us, but together, we can be a force they cannot hope to match!”
She brings her staff back down to point at the gathered folk.
“So tell your friends, your families and masters of what you want for your Valkur’s Roar. Let my brethren hear a cry for unity and cooperation among the faiths of good! Together, we can bring about a brighter future, not just for Valkur’s Roar, but as a shining example for any who behold how far it has come!
Down with the torturers!
The vile minions of the Black Hand shall never have this place again!”
Originally posted here: frc.proboards.com/post/227981/thread
By: Thrym
-------------------------------------------------
It’s a frosty, but busy morning in Valkur’s Roar. Undetered by a cold wind blowing from the Stormhorns, the citizens go about their business in the marketplace.
All in all, it is a day like any other. Even the strange white robed woman that makes her way through the crowd barely is paid attention to. They had seen too many adventurers come and go to still care here, mostly courtesy of the nearby madhouse called Greatgaunt. The little priestess moves easily between the giants surrounding her, garbed in flowing, yet simply cut robes, their stark whiteness only disturbed by the symbol of Torm emblazoned upon her cloak. Hood pulled into her face, a humble staff in her hand the halfling makes her way towards one of the stalls.
She stifles one last cough and murmurs a brief prayer, looking fragile and small indeed amidst the humans. Her gaze wanders about the area, taking in her surroundings, or maybe the people in it. Her head is shaken by the slightest of nod… and with a startlingly effortless movement of her body and staff, she flings herself on top of the stall, a blob of perfectly clean white amidst the gray stone and dull surroundings, tiny yet towering above the crowd. One of her hands reaches for her hood to slowly push it back, revealing a pale, comely face and long hair every bit as surreally white as her clothes. She takes a few steps along the edge of the stall, then raises her free hand towards the crowd, casually resting the other on her staff.
“People of Valkur’s Roar”
The bard-priestess’ voice is clear, and seems to carry much further and more firmly than normal sound should. Her clear blue eyes wander over the crowd, seeming to lock gaze for but a split second with any who glance up at her.
“I am Unproven Tasha of Torm.
Perhaps you have heard of me.
Perhaps you remember me. “
She pauses for but a second, as if to let her name sink in, but not long enough for any more than that.
“Likely though, you do not. And why would you? There are so many important things on your minds. Not just today’s business, or this tendays, no – this is a time of change for Valkur’s Roar. It has been too long since I visited your fair city, but maybe that is a good thing, for it makes me see all the more clearly how things have changed. I see new businesses, I see prosperity where once there was decay, see enthusiasm where once was apathy, see hope where there was naught but the notion of a bleak future!”
She makes a fist, and the slightest hint of a smile seems to form on her face. Her hand moves with as much enthusiasm as she mentions in her speech, underlining every line of hers with a simple, yet effective movement.
“Valkur’s Roar has grown strong once more. Not just for the work of new nobles. Not out of simple divine favour. Most certainly not because of the machinations of some random adventurers thinking themselves the centre of the multiverse. No, it is the people who have pulled the cart out of the dirt, and their will shall now determine where the journey goes!”
The smile turns more and more mischievous.
“Now, I know what you’re thinking. Great! Another priest, here to try and talk us into voting whomever she supports to be Highpriest. Maybe even thinks herself suitable. Thinks that cute lil speech there has us eating out of her hand.”
The grin turning into a sincere smile once more, she gracefully lowers herself to sit on the edge of the stall.
“Strangely enough, that is not why I am speaking to you today. Under most circumstances, would I prefer a triadic candidate? Oh, sure. I shall not lie about that. But this city has suffered long and much.
It needs more than economic prosperity.
It needs more than love, rest, comfort, even justice –
It needs all of these things, things it has lacked for so long, and more. When I returned to this country, I saw your election has been delayed. I saw that some clerics would not play by the rules, and would seek to use the very methods this city has suffered under long enough.
But even more than that, I see discord.
There are ten nobles voting. There are yet seven candidates. Among them are many who would make fine spiritual leaders. Be it now or during my last visit to Cormyr, I’ve conversed with many of them, and learned to respect both their devotion and what they stand for.”
With every word, her smile seems to grow more radiant. Her hands soon find themselves calmly in her lap, her staff resting below them across her legs. Her voice is warm and melodic, her gaze kind and … then the pleasantry fades.
“But there are those among them who are not like that. There are those who seek to further only their own twisted ideals, those who wear a mask of courtesy and empathy, but behind it are naught but devout servants of the vile god whose claws strangled this city once before, even when they use the name of his … mistress.
You may think I dramatize. People like that would never gain more votes than the servants of good! Even if their lies and promises draw a few of the nobles to their side, never could they gain the upper hand. But the scary thing, my friends…”
She pauses for a moment, her head shaking ever so slightly.
“Is that they do not have to. They do not need ten votes. Not nine, eight, seven, not even five – they just need the votes of the good churches to be split. Right now, we have a sunite, a selúnite, two tyrrans, a waukeenar – all decent folk, all of whom intend only the best and have much to offer, I know of those I met and believe of those I have not – but these people will each draw votes away from another. When each of them just has one or two votes, how much easier is it for the servants of evil to win and once more tighten their grasp around this cities' throat?”
She raises her staff from her lap, using it to point towards the Temple of Hoar.
“They tell me this city was once home to a communal temple for the gods of light. They tell me that all the pious folk of old Redmist used to gather in it to celebrate all that is good in life, not mere aspects of that which makes life worth living!”
With one swift movement, she hops back to her feet, raising the staff into the air.
“This is the message of a better past. Why is it not the message of a better future? Why do we bicker and compete, when the greatest strength of good is and has always been unity? This is no time for promoting one worthy god above the other, this is a time to make a stand, for a new, better Valkur’s Roar, to form a united front, a wall against which the tides of evil shall shatter as they do against the walls of this glorious city!”
Her hands move firmly, her voice overflowing with passion in the way that only that of a master of the bardic arts can.
“I call upon my brethren and sisters, not among the Triadic Faiths alone, but among all who walk within the light, to those who seek a better future for Valkur’s Roar, to look at the larger picture: Is it worth squabbling about who is to be Highpriest among BRETHREN? Let us combine our strengths against the wicked. Divided, the vile torturers who’d seek to cover their horrid desires behind honeyed words must but overcome one of us, but together, we can be a force they cannot hope to match!”
She brings her staff back down to point at the gathered folk.
“So tell your friends, your families and masters of what you want for your Valkur’s Roar. Let my brethren hear a cry for unity and cooperation among the faiths of good! Together, we can bring about a brighter future, not just for Valkur’s Roar, but as a shining example for any who behold how far it has come!
Down with the torturers!
The vile minions of the Black Hand shall never have this place again!”