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Post by Mackleeric on Nov 15, 2004 23:48:25 GMT -5
It was a hot day in Freeport, even by desert standards, when Sister Falhelm called Mackleeric to her alcove.
"Do you think you can manage to keep yourself alive long enough to acquire a few items! Eight to be exact - 8 pieces of Radiance wear. They are out there in Tunaria. Go and find them. Do not return until you have all eight of them. This is your preparation for your 20th season trial.
No Radiance wear - no trial. Oh and did I mention you are totally on your own. The church will not aid you in any way. Now go and prepare. You leave in one hour."
"Yes, Sister." Mackleeric says rotely. Though she has a million questions racing through her mind at once, she holds her tongue, bows and hurries toward her room.
"Can it really be true? " she thought as she enters her space. Would she really have this time away - away from glaring eyes, free from watching her every step, move and twitch she made.
Mackleeric chided herself for thinking such thoughts of relief in being away from the four walls of the church and those it housed.
She turns her thoughts to more practical things like, what to pack?
A change of undergarments, some flint, a small pot, a momento from her past, all went in the pack. She then crawls under her cot and lifts a loosened stone, feels down in the hole and finds the pouch. Returning the stone to its place in the floor, she crawls out and adds the pouch to her pack. One never knows what lies around the bend in life and a few tunar stashed away...well .. it couldn't hurt.
She looked around the room one last time. She did not know what she should feel, but the only feeling she had at that moment was that of relief.
Mackleeric picked up her pack and bedroll and left the tiny room she had lived in these many seasons.
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Post by Mackleeric on Nov 16, 2004 9:25:02 GMT -5
Mackleeric hurres to the kitchen where she hopes to get one last hearty meal before setting off.
Blessings bestowed!! Mrs. Salop is there helping with the lunch preparations. Mrs. Salop, a tough old human, has been working the kitchen for what seems to be forever. Their first meeting involved the old cook looking the young apprentice child up and down from head to toe, shoving a plate of food at her and saying:
"Eat it or I'll peel the skin off yar bones and give it to my pet skellie."
Mackleeric gazed at the old woman stunned. As she slowly reached up to take the plate from Mrs. Salop, the cook shoved it in her hands and ever so slighly gave her a wink or maybe it was just a twitch of the eye, but either way they developed a kind of bond over the years.
Mackleeric waited until the cook saw her before crossing the kithcen to speak with her. Mackleeric told her of her upcoming adventure and asked if she could get a bite to eat and maybe a bit of something to take on the road.
"Eat to yar heart's content in the Kitchen dearie, but it is forbidden to take any food from the church on yar journey."
"but.........."
"It is forbidden." the cook said with finality. Mrs. Salop looked at her with regret and Mackleeric knew that the cook had been instructed in her reply.
Mrs. Salop fetched Mackleerics meal and set it on the table in front of her.
"Take care of yar plate when yar done, Mackleeric."
The young cleric ate quickly, for she hadn't much time left before she had to depart the church and she still had to see the Sister.
When she finished eating she picked up her plate to take to the wash area and something fell to the floor. She bent to retrieve it - a small piece of parchment. It read: Package S. inn - sack for Mack. As she stood she crumpled it and threw it into the soggy bottom of her bowl. She washed her bowl, the paper falling apart, hence unreadable to spying eyes.
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Post by Mackleeric on Nov 17, 2004 9:13:40 GMT -5
She ran through the halls and right into Murdonna as she turned the corner to go up the stairs.
Murdonna was a clerical apprentice as well. She and Mackleeric when younger had been in classes together, but she was more interested in protection from germs and elements than ridding Tunaria of the undead.
"Mackleeric where are you off to in such a hurry"
Brealthless, Mackleeric replied, " to see the Sister. I won't be seeing you for a while as I am being sent out on a quest".
" OH, you're so lucky!! I hope I'll get a quest that sends me out into the world soon."
"Im sure you will be given a quest soon Murdonna. I really must hurry to see the Sister, she is expecting me".
" Sister Falhelm, I am ready to take my leave."
" Time's up. I hope you are ready. Do not come whining back here that you are starving or have no clue where to seek out the pieces of radiance, for you will receive no sympathy. "
" Yes Sister"
"Be away with you then. Remember do not return without all 8 pieces".
::Mackleeric nods and begins to walk toward the door.::
The Sister calls after her, " Mackleeric, I almost forgot. Take this parchment to the Scribe over in the arcane hall for preservation and analysis on your way out of town".
"Yes , Sister"
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Post by Mackleeric on Nov 18, 2004 9:08:18 GMT -5
Mackleeric wondered why the Sister gave her this last task. Maybe coincidence, more likely not. As she passed the Serpent Inn she remembers the note from Mrs. Salop: "S Inn" . She must stop in after her task is complete.
Her thoughts turned to the Radiance gear and where she was going to begin her search. " I guess i could just start asking everyone i meet if they heard of it, or maybe check with Merchant Gilgash. If any merchant would have information of such items - he would. Maybe i'll check the auction out, ya just never know." Mackleeric as so lost in her thoughts she ran right into the SpiritMaster Ashlan, who happened to be standing in front of the house of scribe Cathassa
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Mackleeric walked up the ramp and found the Scribe just inside the door.
"Sister Falhelm sends this parchment. See to it that it is analyzed and preserved properly."
" I can do the analysis, but the preservation is another matter. My supplies for such a task is depleted. If you want the job done, I will need your assistance."
"I don't know if i should take the time Scribe, I have been sent on a quest.....a quest for .... Radiance gear." Mackleeric said in hopes of seeing some recognition in the scribes eyes.
Contessa gets a twinkle in her eye and smiles slightly, "Ahh, Radiance gear. Yes, I have heard it is quite coveted amongst the clerics. If you get me the materials I need, I will tell you what I know of that which you seek."
Mackleeric thought but a moment and decided she had nothing to loose and nowhere else to start her search.
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Post by Mackleeric on Dec 1, 2004 9:02:50 GMT -5
Mackleeric wondered why the Sister gave her this last task. Maybe coincidence, more likely not. As she passed the Serpent Inn she remembers the note from Mrs. Salop: "S Inn" . She must stop in after her task is complete.
Her thoughts turned to the Radiance gear and where she was going to begin her search. " I guess i could just start asking everyone i meet if they heard of it, or maybe check with Merchant Gilgash. If any merchant would have information of such items - he would. Maybe i'll check the auction out, ya just never know." Mackleeric, so lost in her thoughts she ran right into the SpiritMaster, who happened to be standing in front of the house of scribe Cathassa.
Mackleeric walked up the ramp and found the Scribe just inside the door.
"Sister Falhelm sends this parchment. See to it that it is analyzed and preserved properly."
" I can do the analysis, but the preservation is another matter. My supplies for such a task are depleted. If you want the job done, I will need your assistance."
"I don't know if i should take the time Scribe, I have been sent on a quest.....a quest for .... Radiance gear." Mackleeric said in hopes of seeing some recognition in the scribes eyes.
Cathassa gets a twinkle in her eye and smiles slightly, "Ahh, Radiance gear. Yes, I have heard it is quite coveted amongst the clerics. If you get me the materials I need, I will tell you what I know of that which you seek."
Mackleeric thought but a moment and decided she had nothing to loose and nowhere else to start her search.
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Post by Mackleeric on Dec 4, 2004 12:45:07 GMT -5
Scribe Cathassa gave Mackleeric the necessary details for her to retrieve the items she needed for parchment preservation.
First she would get the drake's blood from Talya in Highpass Hold.
She was not registered with the coachman in Highpass however. The road would be full of dangers, but Mackleeric was determined. She looked around for a foreigner who might bless her with the speed blessing - there was no such gifted one in the area.
"No use wasting time waiting for one to coach in " she thought as she ran through Freeport out the North gate.
The trip was long and perilous with few places to stop and rest along the way. As she ran her thoughts turned inward. Could she complete the quest without the church's help? All she ever knew was the church and what they had taught her. Would she be able to transfer her text knowledge to experience and wisdom out in the world?
Tunnel vision - one thing in view - becoming a great exorcist. It had served her well inside the walls of the church, but Tunaria was a vast land.
Lost in her thoughts, Mackleeric veered too close to the forest. A wolf had been watching with anticipation of her mistake. When she was near enough he sprang from his crouched position in the thicket. A blur of movement brought her out of herself in time to see the wolf advance rapidly upon her.
She called up her rooting spell to stop him in his tracks, but not before the wolf was able to get a good swipe at Mackleeric with his right paw. She fell forward to her hands and knees. her back on fire from where the wolf's claws left their trail. She scurried on all fours to get out of the wolf's reach, stumbling to her feet she cast the root again, said the healing chant and took off running as fast as she could. She knew the wolf would soon break its bonds and come for her.
She ran and ran, not looking back for fear of what she would see. After a mile or two, it took all the courage she could muster to finally glance behind her and see she was no longer the wolf's prey. She slowed her pace and gasped for air. Adrenaline draining from her body, she was exhausted. She needed a place to rest for the night, but where? She walked another hour or so before she came upon an abandoned guard tower. It would just have to do.
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