*Lorminstra badge [#sccc8bea]

You see a colorful badge with a miniature solid gold staff attached to it.  ~
It looks exactly like the staff reforged for Lorminstra on the quest, only smaller.~

You sing:~

>"Lorminstra badge, I must now ask you, here in River's Rest~
About yourself, and Lorminstra and of that long-past quest..."~

The harmony of your song redoubles and soon a chorus of voices fills your head with words and song.  Almost ethereal in harmony a story is told in verse.~

A staff of gold Lorminstra raised,~
For this great gift, her name be praised.~
The staff protects the souls of all,~
From final loss, when bodies fall.~

But in the ranks of Lady's Chosen,~
A single worm had worked its nose in.~
By Kazarackti was he known,~
The seeds of chaos he had sown.~

Kazarackti's charm was blindly trusted,~
For Lorminstra's staff he deeply lusted.~
A mask of faith he daily donned,~
Then with the staff he did abscond.~

The traitor ran to distant quarters,~
Crossing o'er familiar borders.~
When at last to darkness given,~
By forces foul the staff was riven.~

The staff itself is broken and shattered,~
Into six dull shards, the pieces scattered.~
It no longer aids those deep in need,~
This cry for help a few must heed!~

You sing:~

>"Lorminstra badge, I must now ask you, here in River's Rest~
About yourself, and Lorminstra and of that long-past quest~
A talkative badge indeed are you, but is the story done?..."~

Brought forth by your own talents, the ethereal singing continues to fill your mind with the tale.~

Arimantis to the challenge rises,~
Prepared to ward off dire surprises.~
Others like him congregate,~
A group to turn the hand of fate.~

Into a land most wondrous strange,~
This hearty band begins to range.~
Set upon by fearsome foes,~
Engaged in fights the pace ne'er slows.~

The only place where they can rest,~
Is a filthy tavern, filled with pests.~
Run by a man who lacks in morals,~
Worships coin, and looks for quarrels.~

A dwarven corpse, all dried and bound,~
Twists in the wind without a sound.~
Encased in silk by some great spider,~
On a giant web whose strands do hide her.~

But facing fears, the group does enter,~
The massive web, and seeks the center.~
Hoping there to find some clue,~
Of where to go, and what to do.~

You sing:~

>"Lorminstra badge, I must now ask you, here in River's Rest~
About yourself, and Lorminstra and of that long-past quest~
A talkative badge in deed are , but is the story done?~
Continue, badge, and tell to me what the  questers lost and won..."~

Verse after verse fills your soul first with dread and then with an ever increasing hope for the future.~

A Druid town gives some respite,~
Although it too is touched with blight.~
An old man begs the group to hurry,~
And save them from Kazarackti's fury.~

In the town the party finds,~
Folks of many different kinds.~
A sly conniving merchant banker,~
A pawnshop dandy even swankier.~

Gathered close, they enter bravely,~
A cemetery - walking gravely.~
Past the headstones, they are met,~
By ghostly form, in silhouette.~

By slashing scythe, the first is felled,~
Into a grave the corpse does meld.~
A stone to mark the sad demise,~
One less to fight Kazarackti's lies.~

While lost upon an endless sea,~
A shrieking gull for scraps does plea.~
The rowers falter at the oars,~
Uncertainty building more and more.~

'Til one speaks up, reminding all,~
They must prevent Lorminstra's fall!~
The party rallies, rows much harder,~
The boat soon slices through the water.~

You sing:~

>"Lorminstra badge, I must now ask you, here in River's Rest~
About yourself, and Lorminstra and of that long-past quest~
A talkative badge in deed are , but is the story done?~
Continue, badge, and tell to me what the  questers lost and won.~
A valiant crew of adventurers who battled death and danger,~
They won the day because to them faith and hope were not strangers."~

Your song brings the tempo to a crescendo of voices.  Your mind rings with the music and the tale that it tells.~

Rising up before their eyes,~
A vast volcano scrapes the skies.~
Although they'd rather let it be,~
They understand they cannot flee.~

And so they work their way within,~
The fiery mountain's steaming grin.~
Searching every nook and rock,~
For the shards they've pledged to save the flock.~

The weary band, now tired and tattered,~
At last all parts of staff has gathered.~
Arimantis stands proud, a smile on her face,~
Alight as though by touch of grace.~

Each head held high, a test to face,~
Into a ring of stones they pace.~
Lorminstra's staff will be repaired,~
By those who risked and those who dared.~

You sense the song and rhyme are now finished.  You are left with only the silence of your own thoughts.  A feeling of utter peace and hope for the future remains as well.~

----
Retrieved and formatted by [[Astru]].~
Originally posted: http://web.archive.org/web/20150429042412/http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/beaconhall/lorminstra_badge.htm ~
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