Post by Hedge on May 15, 2016 12:35:34 GMT -5
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'Through the use of magic and connections to the gods, we provide services of counseling, magical arts and healing.
Some come to have their dreams interpreted.
Others come looking for magical spells and charms, or needing incantations of various types to counteract malevolent magic.'
I am a Lay Magician. I belong to a temple known simply as The House of Life, and this is my story ...
Life at the temple has its moments. My studies of late, have been to gather and analyze plants. Plants grown in our local areas. Boring, uneventful. Well there was that one time ... but that's another story for another day. See how my mind wanders? I'm bored. I know the need to expand my knowledge about healing and medicines is very important. And being trained in the making of holy oils used in meditations and body massage, is also very important. But again, uninspiring. And I do, I strongly believe that parts of the body are connected to, or with different plants and herbs. If I could only get my hands on plants not of our lands, I could explore and do my research with more passion. More devotion, than I have done of late. What I really would like to do, is learn more about healing by magic. I've studied a little on my own and I believe I have the potential. I've seen the rituals and I really want to learn more about the making of amulets and talismans. But those secrets are kept very well hidden. Only the higher ranked Priests and Priestesses use magic.
And then the day arrived. Someone finally listened to me! All my complaining had paid off. My tutor, my mentor has granted my request to go outside our domain. But on one condition. Find and acquire much needed temple supplies. I accepted to undertake this daring journey. To come to Crux Commons and find a trader that could supply me with exotic flowers and unusual herbs not readily available back home. Plants that could only be found beyond Lamoria. The 'House of Life' had arranged for my escort and lodging. It was a hot and muggy day. I was dumped, abandoned outside a questionable shop. I expected as much. Inside I noticed all the shelves empty. Dust and cobwebs covered everything. But still the customers came and went. I found that to be a bit odd. And then I was shown my lodgings. A small room upstairs, above the store. One small cot with a patched quilt, a chest of drawers and a bowl and basin for wash up. Again, no surprise. Before leaving the temple, I had been told to keep a watchful eye. Stay away from dark forests, murky swamps and to stay far, far away from those who bear the mark. Those with bi-coloured eyes. Possibly a changeling or otherworldly menace, who were bearers of misfortune.
And eventually, the day came. There was news of a strange ship docked at the Port of Crossing. It was the ship I was expecting. I had been holed up for days waiting, and quickly readied myself, anxious to be free of my confinement. I knew enough to cover up, to wear a disguise, hide any hint of my social position, so I wrapped my coin in a waistband and donned a dull, washed out hooded cloak before heading downstairs. When I entered the shop from the back staircase, I was handed a note. The shop keeper said it was for me, and that he hadn't seen it delivered, just found it on the counter. I was a little suspicious of this, because it showed no mark suggesting it was for me. Only the Eye of Ra. A mark of protection. And what looked like dried blood.
It read ...
I knew at once, who had sent this message. A debt I owed and would graciously pay, to one who had rescued me from a group of lowlife Sphinx with unsavory intentions. My tall, dark, amber eyed, gorgeous champion. And he needed my help?
Death in Dark and Dingy places ...
I had stepped out of the shop into blinding sunlight and scanned the square, looking for my mystery contact. But everyone looked mysterious. Everyone looked like they had skeletons in their closets. Just another cloak-and-dagger kind of crowd, found in every city square! I had made up my mind to continue looking for the ship trader, determined to get my business done. Get my much needed shopping over and out of the way. Besides I didn't know my way around the city. I only felt safest in the square and that wouldn't keep me out of harm's way even at the best of times. My contact would have to find me.
After much effort, I found the Trader. And he had all the supplies on my list. But at an unbelievable cost! We bartered and haggled to know end. And just when I was about to give up, a shadow fell beside me. I couldn't see a face very well, because it was cloaked and hooded. But I recognized the voice. My contact had arrived. It appeared the gentleman's arrival unnerved the Trader so much so, that he gave me a better deal than we had originally bargained for. He quickly bundled up my goods, shoved the parcel at me, then rushed out into the crowd, and before I could even pay him! I blinked and the Trader was gone!
'Come with me' and a firm hand on my elbow lead me away from the market square.
I was escorted into a dark passageway. I should've been frightened. I should've screamed or ran. But I did not. The next I remembered, was being pushed through a hidden doorway. And if not for the firm grasp on my elbow I might've fallen. A solitary lamp cast a dim glow, lighting very little of the small dingy looking room. And on a cot shoved up against the wall, was an elderly gentleman. I knew by his clothing, he was of noble standing. And he was very dead! His throat had been slit. My new friend, said there was no need to check for a pulse, but I did anyway. I busied myself with the body searching for more clues as to who he was, or why he was here in this appalling room. I rolled the body over, and when I did I heard something fall to the floor. A folded crumpled papyrus!
My associate, by now a co-conspirator, was at my side at once. 'If we're to work together Nephthys, I think it best to introduce myself. I am Veles.'
I later learned that he was a member of a secret faction, sworn to protect against dark forces. He could proudly trace his ancient lineage back 500 years, to a time of some of the mightiest and most powerful Pharaohs. For thousands of years there has always been a faction on the side of good, when there is evil. They have been single-minded in their mission to obliterate evil in all its forms, and the loyalty between its members may be old-fashioned, but it is absolute. Imagine a world where vampires rule the night, and where demons lurk in the shadows ...
Scrying Magic ...
Finally I had a name to call him by, other than 'My Champion'. He already knew who I was. Veles decided it was best to leave the body. There was nothing we could do for the dead. We had what Veles needed and we needed to get away before anyone found us there.
'I need you to stay close, at my side always. The market square is not safe for one such as you. Crux Common is nothing that you are used to. You've already drawn too much attention to yourself.'
I was then led to an inn where we took a seat in the darkest of corners. Veles made sure he faced the doorways. Made sure he was able to scan the whole room. Watching everyone that was either coming in or going out. I pulled out and carefully unfolded the deteriorating papyrus.
It was a map. And from its wear and tear, it was an important map. A map worth killing for? But this was no ordinary map. It had been scribed with ancient magic. Now I understood why I was needed. Veles needed my services of magical arts, limited as they were, but to do that we had to look for a better place. So once again I was ushered to 'who knows where'. More dark passageways and another secret door. Another dimly lite room with but only a dirty table and a few old chairs.
We spread the map out on the table and he handed me an amulet. A golden scarab made with blue enamel and set with precious jewels, on a long chain. I studied the map while Veles brought candles, adding more light. I opened my bundle of newly procured items and pulled out the bag of black sand. A type of black sand, found only near a volcano, consisting of tiny fragments of basalt. Spreading the sand over the map, I concentrated. Holding the amulet above the papyrus, I watched it sway around and around, back and forth, the black sands shifting and mimicking the movement of the amulet, until it slowly came to a stop. Words that never were, slowing began to appear. 'Master, warrior elite'. We both stared harder, and then it occured to us, both at the same time. It looked like a trail, leading to a ... an underground tunnel leading into Blackwell Castle!
We knew the secret of the map. I had hoped Veles would release me then, my debt having been paid, but that was not to be. He said he would be able to protect me better, if I were with him. At this point I still didn't trust the situation. I thought I could trust him, but not the hazards we were about to walk into. All too soon we were in that underground tunnel. Silently creeping towards the castle. Towards the most feared in all of the Shadowlands. It was so dark you could not see your hand in front of you. I stayed within touching distance, stumbling along the way. Time seemed to stand still, but not too long into the tunnel, came the guards. We were captured, tied and roughly dragged into the castle stateroom to face The Master Vampire ...
Just a dream ...
And this is where everything gets a bit confusing. The next day I found myself back in the small room above the questionable shop in Crux Commons. My memories were unclear. I could not recall anything after being dragged into the castle stateroom. I had a faint image, like that of something, someone in a fog ... not clear enough to recognize who exactly. And no idea where my champion went. Was it a premonition of things yet to come? Or vision of something that actually had happened? A mystery to annoy me for some time. Having arrived back safely at the temple, I opened up my bundle of supplies. To keep my mind from wandering back to Crux Commons, I began checking the items and crossing them off of my list, one by one. But instead of black sand, a sand found only near a volcano, consisting of tiny fragments of basalt, I found, wrapped in papyrus, a golden scarab made with blue enamel and set with precious jewels, on a long chain.
And on the papyrus was a message that read ...
