Pilgrimage (Quiz 222)

Pilgrimage

Many years had passed since Jaheira last visited Trademeet. The town had changed, grown, in the years since Faldorn's attacks: a myriad of new houses stood outside the old town wall, and a second wall, taller and stronger than the first, had been raised to protect both old and new from what might lurk in the woodlands beyond. Cernd's hopes for reconciliation between town and forest had clearly been for nothing, just as Jaheira always had expected.

She passed through the outer and inner gates and headed for the town square. There, just across from the old Temple of Waukeen, she stopped in front of what had once been the mansion of one of Trademeet's leading families. The family was gone, destroyed in a pointless feud with some of their peers, and their ancestral home was now the main seat of the Church of Rage.

The front doors stood wide open.

Jaheira walked quietly through the main chamber of the temple. She noted how the floor above had been removed to make the chamber loftier, as suited a place of worship. Thick drapes the colour of ashes and blood covered the walls and hid all internal doorways from sight. A sword - Her sword - lay prominently displayed upon an altar of obsidian that stood under a painted glass window. A clenched fist, the holy symbol of the church, was embossed in gold on the front of the altar, and the sunlight that flowed through the window was transformed into illusory flames which danced across the sword and the fist.

"Harpers are not welcome here."

Jaheira turned to look at Aerie. The avariel's face had grown as hard as her voice had, and her tightly braided hair and charcoal-coloured robes only served to enhance the severeness of her expression. There was no timid circus girl here, only a High Priestess of Rage. "I know," Jaheira said. "I just... I wanted to see."

"And?"

"This place is grander than I expected," she said politely. "You have come far in a decade, for a new faith."

"There is strength in anger, for those who dare seek it."

"I heard that Delryn runs a second temple. Somewhere to the north?"

"It is a monastery. Only the initiated may enter."

"I see," Jaheira said. Her gaze returned to the altar; a young human man was now kneeling before it, deep in prayer or contemplation. She could not see his face.

"Unless you seek what we have to offer, you should leave," Aerie said.

"I suppose that is best," Jaheira said evenly, and let Aerie lead her out of the temple. She stepped out through the front doors and into the clean light of day, while the High Priestess halted on the threshold. Jaheira turned to her.

"There is one thing I must ask," she said. "She was always conflicted. The path she chose... in the end, was she happy?"

An odd smile crossed Aerie's face. "Who is?" she replied, and pulled the front doors shut.

It's good to see you back here, Cel! I really liked how you set the bittersweet mood of the story from the very first paragraph.

Many years had passed since Jaheira last visited Trademeet. The town had changed, grown, in the years since Faldorn's attacks: a myriad of new houses stood outside the old town wall, and a second wall, taller and stronger than the first, had been raised to protect both old and new from what might lurk in the woodlands beyond. Cernd's hopes for reconciliation between town and forest had clearly been for nothing, just as Jaheira always had expected.

Poor Jaheira the pessimist--she endured a lot in the course of the series, and this first part goes a long way to establishing the mood of the story. I found it understandable that her non-romanced epilogue has a bittersweet tang to it, and in this reality I can see there wouldn't have been much to console her.

Jaheira walked quietly through the main chamber of the temple. She noted how the floor above had been removed to make the chamber loftier, as suited a place of worship. Thick drapes the colour of ashes and blood covered the walls and hid all internal doorways from sight. A sword - Her sword - lay prominently displayed upon an altar of obsidian that stood under a painted glass window. A clenched fist, the holy symbol of the church, was embossed in gold on the front of the altar, and the sunlight that flowed through the window was transformed into illusory flames which danced across the sword and the fist.

Sounds like a cross between Bane and the Flaming Fist as a logo! I like the colour scheme.

Jaheira turned to look at Aerie. The avariel's face had grown as hard as her voice had, and her tightly braided hair and charcoal-coloured robes only served to enhance the severeness of her expression. There was no timid circus girl here, only a High Priestess of Rage. "I know," Jaheira said. "I just... I wanted to see."

Aww, poor Aerie. I liked that fic of yours where she beat up a beholder. She's grown into quite the killing machine.

"There is one thing I must ask," she said. "She was always conflicted. The path she chose... in the end, was she happy?"

An odd smile crossed Aerie's face. "Who is?" she replied, and pulled the front doors shut.

Very few in this particular universe! Nice fic.

Its great to see you again Cel. And thank you of this wonderful story. You captured so much emotion and so much history in this remarkable piece. I loved the tone and mood of this, so fitting for that particular ending to the game

Jaheira walked quietly through the main chamber of the temple. She noted how the floor above had been removed to make the chamber loftier, as suited a place of worship. Thick drapes the colour of ashes and blood covered the walls and hid all internal doorways from sight. A sword - Her sword - lay prominently displayed upon an altar of obsidian that stood under a painted glass window. A clenched fist, the holy symbol of the church, was embossed in gold on the front of the altar, and the sunlight that flowed through the window was transformed into illusory flames which danced across the sword and the fist.

You will excuse a bit of snark here (despite how I like the description) but how come churches like the 'Church of Rage' or Cyric's church or whatever, they're always going for blood red colors and such? Why not a nice blue with some lovely accents or something?

Jaheira turned to look at Aerie. The avariel's face had grown as hard as her voice had, and her tightly braided hair and charcoal-coloured robes only served to enhance the severeness of her expression. There was no timid circus girl here, only a High Priestess of Rage. "I know," Jaheira said. "I just... I wanted to see."

"And?"

"This place is grander than I expected," she said politely. "You have come far in a decade, for a new faith."

"There is strength in anger, for those who dare seek it."

Truth there, in a way. And Scary Aerie is Scary.

"I heard that Delryn runs a second temple. Somewhere to the north?"

"It is a monastery. Only the initiated may enter."

*blinks* Anomen? A monk? Huh.

"There is one thing I must ask," she said. "She was always conflicted. The path she chose... in the end, was she happy?"

An odd smile crossed Aerie's face. "Who is?" she replied, and pulled the front doors shut.

The hammer blow for the piece - short but powerful. Love it.

And Cel, so good to see you back!

VH

*blinks* Anomen? A monk? Huh.

I personally don't think it's much of a stretch, after all, he started out as a cleric.