The speech Elder Meshra gave to introduce the adepts to the kaer
Score: 266 | 4/20/18 |
The speech Elder Meshra gave, 20 Strassa 1517, at the induction of the newest Stalwart Stones, and the beginning of the Festival of Kar'lien.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for gathering for the opening of the annual Festival of Kar'lien. This year we have much to celebrate <cough> despite the worries we currently face. We have faced turmoil and disease before, and we will face them some day again. But this year we have new Adepts to help us face these challenges, to defend us and aid us against our fears. Let us welcome now the newest Stalward Stones." Cheers now ripple through the crowd.
"Vyktor Wyvernjack, Wizard."
"Boris Hillmens, Warrior."
"A surprise addition to the crew, the Weaponsmith who took over Urcan's Forge, Valteri Tomser."
"And my own, beloved cousin, Sean Shamshara, Scout."
"They have proven themselves to the Adepts and Sheyloon, and as such, <cough><cough>, excuse me. As such, we honor them by recognizing them as members of the Stalwart Stones!"
"As well, we are gathered to do more than celebrate the Adepts. As always, we learn <cough> from our forefathers. With the Obsidiman of the Ungada Tribe still within in their Liferock, unseen for so long, this tome, the Book of Tomorrow, is truly our only link to our past, to the days before the Scourge. The Empire of Thera had the Books of Harrow which warned of the Horrors’ coming and taught magical rituals of protection to keep them safe from the Horrors. While Thera enslaved all of us in Barsaive, magic gained strength and the Horrors <cough-cough> began to come. Thera lorded over us the magical rituals of protection they learned from the Books of Harrow. They enslaved Barsaive, but they gave their subjects those magical rituals so we could hide ourselves, safe and sound, underground in this Kaer and many others like it. Their rites saved us, along with the Obsidimen of Ungada Liferock, who have attuned their own special magic to purify our waters and help us thrive.
"But the Book of Tomorrow is not only about our past. Given to us by the Dwarves of the Kingdom <cough> of Throal, we learn from it those past mistakes we hope not to repeat; we gain a common language that we might be understood when we return to the surface; and we read about the sun, the lives and freedoms that our children will someday enjoy up above. And, important in the light of recent protestations, it also teaches us how to tell when the surface would once again be safe for us to inhabit.
"For this month’s reading, I would like to look at an excerpt from the section 'On Magic Levels and Determining the End of the Scourge'. 'Having performed the proper rituals and cast the enchantments, the ball of True Earth will remain suspended above the dish of True Water. As the strength of the world’s magical energy rises, so too does the ball of True Earth, but as well together they also descend. When the magical power of the world crosses that fateful threshold, and the Horrors are forced back to their accursed Astral realm, the True Earth will have lowered to touch and mix with the True Water. In this way you will know it is safe to leave your protections and venture once again to the surface.'
"Held safe in the Hall of Elders is this apparatus, for any who wishes to look at it. But I have brought it out to you today to remind you that 100 years ago, after 400 years of us huddled here watching it slowly fall, the True Earth stopped moving."
[Coughing, Elder Meshra removes an ornate cloth from a crystal sphere about 6 inches across set atop a small stone stand. The bottom of the sphere holds half an inch of the purest water imaginable. Floating an inch above this is a perfectly formed ball of dirt, black and fertile.]
"As you can see, the Horrors still ravage the…I mean…I, we cannot-. Oh, Passions, it hurts!"