![[Beacon Hall Archive]](image/bha.jpg "[Beacon Hall Archive]")
Lacrimosa Sings to the Orb donated by Tarkisis†(Setzier obtained a strange orb that seemed possesed of power that was vital to this quest, yet we knew nothing about it. Lacrimosa, an elder bard appeared seemingly at random to assist us.) Lacrimosa sings:
Lacrimosa slowly sits up. Lacrimosa says, "It... isss... painful." Lacrimosa furrows her brow. Lacrimosa asks, "Setzier.. would you care to hold it until I sing to it again?" Lacrimosa offers Setzier a quartz orb. Lacrimosa furrows her brow. Lacrimosa says, "If that is so -- that you wish to know -- then I must tell you a story of a grievous and horrific tragedy." Lacrimosa says, "During the time before the Stronghold was built and just after Illoke cast his mother down into her living grave, a group of Meyno's priestesses were force-marched up the craggy spires of Thanatoph by Illoke and his henchmen." Lacrimosa says, "They finally arrived at a ridge of great altitude, with sheer cliffs and precarious ledges that could fall away into a rockslide in the space of a heartbeat." Lacrimosa says, "There they were forced to build a massive fortress of stone, and inside, an altar to Illoke himself." Lacrimosa frowns. Lacrimosa idly strums the strings of the fel lute, drawing out a low, somber accompaniment to her words. A low note from the fel lute hangs in the air like the droning toll of a bell. Lacrimosa says, "As the battlements rose into the air, excavations were being dug out beneath it, creating a vast series of catacombs beneath the fortress where those loyal to were made to live when not laboring on the structure above." Lacrimosa says, "And, on an incidental side note, it was there, in the heart of the mountain, that a strange artifact was uncovered." Lacrimosa glances at the faces around her while effortlessly picking out a running crescendo of notes on the lute's elegant neck. Lacrimosa says, "Ancient beyond all reckoning, the thing was taken up into the fortress and mounted in a high tower. Once there, Illoke's minions began to study it in an effort to learn its secrets." Lacrimosa says, "There was nothing in the orb's message to me that suggests they were ever successful in that endeavor, however." Lacrimosa says, "Once the artifact was uncovered, things began to go from bad to worse for the prisoners. " Lacrimosa says, "The Illoke persecutors became more cruel and intolerant to them, and the priestesses were treated exceedingly harshly as the months passed." Lacrimosa says, "Brutality became the rule as their captors forces them with magic and sorcery to labor until they dropped from exhaustion." Lacrimosa says, "Finally, with the Stronghold near completion, out of nearly 900 stone giants who had begun the journey to Thanatoph, there were less than 100 of the bedraggled priestesses left." [Lacrimosa says, "They were burie]d and interred between the huge stones of the building, to help 'cement' the invincibility of the walls, so the Illoke said." Lacrimosa says, "The fortress stood, tall and magnificent, with only a few lesser wings still unfinished when the shamen and mystics began a rite to dedicate the structure formally to their patron Illoke." Lacrimosa says, "The ceremonies progressed, with ten days and nights of fasting, praying, chanting and flagellating themselves into a frenzy that was more paroxysm as it was divine inspiration." Lacrimosa sighs and bends over the lute, suddenly paying it much more attention than she obviously needs to. As the melody continues in a hypnotic stream of harmonies, the old bard glances up again and smiles ruefully. Lacrimosa says, "The fearful workers huddled in the furthest reached of unfinished passages and lower level tunnels, starving while they listened helplessly to the barbaric sounds of the zealots' hysteria." Lacrimosa says, "Reaches" Lacrimosa says, "Forgive me my stutter.. the story is upsetting." Lacrimosa says, "Day by day, the fever of their chants gained in pitch and momentum. The priestesses prayed almost incessantly to their Meyno for her guidance and protection...and if the worst came, for a quick delivery from pain and torture by merciful death." Lacrimosa says, "In those days, Meyno was still awake and reached toward her sisters and daughters with all the strength of her being." Lacrimosa says, "However, the stone imprisoning her did its work well." Lacrimosa says, "Her son's power was strong, and he had wrapped the Stronghold in an inpenetrable iron band." Lacrimosa says, "From her imprisonment, Meyno could do nothing but listen to her followers' piteous pleas for help." The lute's beautiful tones drop in both volume and pitch. Sorrow rings in its tone. Lacrimosa says, "Seeing that did no good, she reached out to Illoke, still refusing to believe he was so destitute of any shred of decency that he would allow the situation to get any worse." Lacrimosa furrows her brow. Lacrimosa says, "He ignored her." Lacrimosa pauses a moment and glances around as if composing herself. Finding a young face in her audience, she smiles affectionately Lacrimosa smiles at Slorne. Lacrimosa then takes up her lute and begins to play once more. Slorne smiles halfheartedly in return. You see Lady Slorne Eaglewing the Sylvankind Sister. Slorne blushes a glowing shade of red. Lacrimosa says, "On the eleventh day, the shamen and mystics fell silent." Lacrimosa says, "Kneeling in the inner sanctum of Illoke's shrine, they prayed and offered sacrifices of blood garnered from hapless adventurers who had fallen into their clutches." Lacrimosa shudders, her actions adding a chilling timbre of fear to the music. Lacrimosa says, "The drums began again as the last of the sun's rays dropped beneath the horizon." Lacrimosa says, "Waves of the Illoke followers rushed through the stronghold, clad in fearsome masks and robes died crimson with fresh blood, hunting down the priestesses in their hiding places using the ferocious mastiffs to sniff them out." The fel lute's melody produces embellishments that call to mind the hollow baying of hounds heard in the distance. Lacrimosa says, "The stone giant priestesses were herded into the vast halls of the Stronghold, clinging to each other in terror of the sharp bolts of agony wielded by their persecutors and the hideous slavering hounds." Lacrimosa says, "The ragged group of giants was faced with a wall of grotesquely painted priests and their dogs." Lacrimosa says, "Both groups fell silent as the huge form of Illoke appeared." As Lacrimosa says the word 'Illoke', her face hardens and the lute's melody goes flat. Lacrimosa says, "Illoke's visage was one of cruelty, his mouth open in a malicious smile." Lacrimosa says, "As his arm raised, he slowly pointed a finger at the gaggle of stone giant priestesses trembling at the far end of the corridor." Lacrimosa pauses, letting the music abruptly stop. Lacrimosa glances around her. Lacrimosa says, "In a deep, booming voice that sounded like rock being ground into gravel, he snarled " Lacrimosa says, " "KILL THEM!!!"" Lacrimosa shudders violently, memory of the scene imprinted on her expression. Lacrimosa says, "As the priestesses screamed and tried to flee, the Illoke horde loosed the hounds on them." Lacrimosa says, "Fell magic ricocheted around the stone walls, striking the wounded with killing bolts." Lacrimosa says, "All were slaughtered and the long halls ran with a river of their blood." Lacrimosa places her hands on the lute as if to play, then seems unable to find a fingering or draw a tone from the strings. With a sigh, she drops her hands back to her knees. Lacrimosa glancing up again, she continues, "Afterward, the pieces of their bodies were gathered up and taken to the Sanctum where they were crushed and mixed with powered stone and blood." Lacrimosa says, "The orb said one stone giant, an artist of great skill, was saved from the slaughter." Lacrimosa says, "She was made to plaster the altar and walls of the shrine, decorating them with a stucco of the grisly mix into which she created panels of masterfully rendered hieroglyphics." Lacrimosa once more lifts her hands to the lute, and without a glance, effortlessly begins to produce a new, less foreboding melody. Lacrimosa says, "For years, the Illoke host dwelled within the Stronghold, but found themselves plagued with a seemingly never-ending succession of mishaps and misfortune." Lacrimosa says, "Finally the fortress fell silent, and the doors were closed, yielding no entry or exit." Lacrimosa says, "The orb gave me no insight into what finally closed those doors." Lacrimosa furrows her brow. Lacrimosa says, "However, a final hint it did yield." Lacrimosa says, "It suggested..." Lacrimosa says, "that the last survivor of the priestesses was not only a great artist, but a powerful enchantress as well." Lacrimosa says, "It suggested..." Lacrimosa pauses and smiles while the lute's melody rushes toward a dramatic finale... Lacrimosa says, "that she left a secret within the Sanctum that would one day bring about the downfall of Illoke and open the Stronghold's doors to his enemies." [Lacrimosa's lute] echoes with the ringing tones of final justice Lacrimosa says, "That is all it told me of its past." You say, "A message within the hyroglyphics.." Lacrimosa says, "That is all it told me of its past." Lacrimosa furrows her brow. Lacrimosa put a fel lute in her chamois satchel. Lacrimosa says, "Nice to see you again Slorne." Lacrimosa asks, "Setzier?" Esserae says, "Be strong, Elder Bardess, but do not be foolish in this...watch your strength..." (Setzier slowly reaches the orb towards Lacrimosa's grasp.) Esserae says, "I suspect the present may be as painful as the past... it is the future that worries me most." Setzier says, "The future is how we use what the orb tells us today." Lacrimosa concentrates a moment. Lacrimosa sings: "Good and bad, and light and dark, Lacrimosa <lets the orb fall> loosely in her nerveless fingers. Setzier leans forward. Lacrimosa drops dead at your feet!~ [Wehnimer's, Mossy Bower] l Lacrimosa She appears a little under the weather. Maybe she needs a good night on the town. Oh, wait... She's dead. Typical bard. (much lamenting) The quartz orb sends out a high-pitched hum for a few moments, punctuated by a flash of color from within its pitted surface. Setzier picks up a quartz orb. (Armaxis utters muted words as he stares fixedly at Lacrimosa's body, his hand clutching his Luukos symbol.) (there were promises made) (Setzier glances between Lacrimosa and the orb in his hand, his eyebrows furrowed.) (much debating on if she should be raised, then finally raising her) l Lacrimosa You see Lacrimosa Dies'illa the Elf Troubadour. Lacrimosa coughs. Setzier asks, "How would you feel after being brought back from what you sought?" (she sought final death) Setzier rocks back on his heels. Lacrimosa says, "Where.. I.. what.." Lacrimosa asks, "Why am I alive then?" (Armaxis paces in a wide circle around Lacrimosa.) Setzier says, "The question remains on the present and what you saw..." Lacrimosa asks, "Who... who raised me?" Lacrimosa leans toward Slorne and whispers, "I understand dear." Retrieved and formatted by Astru. |