3. End

End


  • A girl in a long traveler's cloak leaves a parchment with the gardener near the entrance to The Four Winds Monastery in Silver Valley. The hin eyes her for a moment, knowing her well enough and thinking this is slightly unusual, but then shrugs and nods. She glances at the fall with a contented smile and makes her way into the evening. The following is written on the vellum, folded and sealed with wax but unmarked except for the words: "Master Scutum"

    inside

    This, perhaps, is not the best way–but it seems the only way. It is strange how keeping in touch can be so difficult in such a small world, and it is indeed a small world. I think you are the best messenger, and I feel a sense of pride in having someone so dear that I can trust to carry out my wishes. Certainly it reflects well on me that I could call such a person friend. Was it so long ago that we stood on the lakeshore in silence and mourned our first misadventure? But my time is short, and my mind wanders if I do not keep to task.

    Khaya will be furious I didn't come to her, as I'm sure you are, but in these days of responsibility, it seems all I can rely on is where you will return to when the dust settles. So don't let her get too angry.

    I know the end of my road now . . . and it lies in shadow. I've broken my bargain you see, and my god is calling me home. I trust his judgement will be fair and I feel no fear, only the sure knowledge that my time has come. My mind has been like glass and each pang of my heart threatens to shatter who I am . . . in a sense my calling comes as a relief.

    I've lost a lot in my time, but what I gained in exchange was of tremendous worth. Pain, death, loss, hate . . . all of these pale as a star against the sun when compared with the love and friendship I have known.

    My painted elf is lost to me . . . perhaps the judge will see fit to disclose his tale, but regardless, I cherish what I had, just as I cherish all those close to me.

    And so I leave it to you to tell them I have gone . . . perhaps an unfair request, but fair and right don't always coincide. I hope that someday my trespasses will be forgiven and the hurt will lessen. It seems impossible to fathom, but in my heart I think I understand what you all did for me, and so I ask forgiveness one last time with the joyous assurance of the limitless compassion of those I know asl friends.

    It is time for me to go down the road and into the shadow. It matters not which path--all are shrouded in the dusk of my day.

    --Berret Siris

    I guess the real world has gotten its hooks into me. I never intended to do a leaving post, but I feel compelled to shake some hands as I exit the room. With my lack of activity in the last months, this post could very well go unnoticed, but I suppose it is nice to have a sense of closure in both Berret's case and my own.

    To TUS, there isn't anything I can really say. For letting me listen to your stories and for helping me to tell my own, I can't express the proper gratitude.

    On an individual level I have to thank:

    Morgan Hearst for making me feel welcome my first day on the forums
    Acmefalls for getting me hooked and showing me around
    Ghenta for his guidance and friendship, and for making roleplaying truly amazing
    Scutum for so many reasons I can't count
    Khaya for being a great friend and such an amazing person to spend my time with
    Kara Tyr for making me feel like a part of the community
    Bram for showing me what a cleric could really be
    Andelas for bringing me back to life in more than one sense
    Magi 13 for making my story surprise me
    Hkb for always making me feel good
    Ribs for being around, being so goddamn funny, and for letting me tease him
    Taromauv for not letting me tease him
    Thad for being someone I could always depend upon
    Uthger for being someone I could always depend upon to kick ass
    Vilmar and Orion for some great moments
    Jazz for noticing me
    Vino for not smiting me
    Kerby for answering every question I ever asked
    R'yal for that purple spandex
    Equinox for making me feel wanted
    Panache, Robilar, Zro, Drago Dasher and Vilehelm for just being cool
    Dragar and Jordash for some great events
    Kanen for saying hi
    Halcyon7 for being a friend when I didn't have any
    Raila for being patient
    Beta for telling good stories
    Zoma for being so damn hard to read
    Kira Sakai for being smart evil
    Budo and Majere for making me laugh
    Baynoor for always making himself heard
    Radsam and Pinksharky for helping me when I needed it
    Freit for inspiring me
    Rangy Wulf for not being stuck up
    Alruic for making me nervous
    Hugh for being so hard to hold a conversation with
    Covah, Seraphaine, and Illuminatus for being fantastic DMs
    Pris for making characters I loved and hated
    Andu, Sam, and Dirtma for remembering who I was
    Fishel for taking the time to listen

    And I'm sure I could go on forever, but I'm falling asleep. There are still plenty of people who deserve a personal thank you, so I hope you know who you are and how much I appreciate you. Of course one more person deserves a nod, and that's Masume. It's an amazing community you've managed to bring together, and I know that there were plenty of times you were sick of hearing from me, but you answered anyway.

    The same thankyous go out to all the players, DMs, devs, PLs, and PGs. It might sound a bit generic, but the place wouldn't be the same without each and every contribution.

    When things settle down in my life, maybe I'll have the opportunity to come back and give it another try, but for now it's time to fix my priorities and get things back on track. Maybe I'll have the pleasure of seeing some of you again in NWN2 or Dragon Age.

    Berret's walking into the dark, but it's time for me to turn on the lights.

    Best of luck to all of you.

    --William


  • Dark lashes separated to reveal bright grey eyes. Berret's breath caught for a moment and she could clearly hear the familiar shouts of fishermen on the west docks. She exhaled slowly. What a strange dream.

    She stretched lazily and settled back into the rich linens. Rising was always such a chore when the bed was so soft. She would have to request a gown of the strange Maztican fabric: it was like silk and satin combined.

    For a time she listened to the sound of night drawing on as it wafted on a balmy breeze through the high window of her chamber. She sometimes wondered how it was possible to sleep through the racket of an Athkatlan market day . . . but then perhaps that explained her frequent odd dreams. Nevertheless, she shouldn't dismiss this one. She did have responsibilities, and it was long past time she embraced them.

    She slipped from under the scarlet sheet and stretched again as she approached the window. The salt air full of fish and sweat and heat and water had become a comfort, but more and more she missed the crisp air from above the falls in Silver Valley. Her training was complete . . . or very nearly so. Affairs in Trademeet were finally settled–it was no doubt time to began the long voyage home.

    As her sharp eyes scanned the golden water below the setting sun on the far horizon, she made out the form of a swiftly approaching ship. As if on cue, a knock came at the door.

    She smiled as she turned. Her ride home was ahead of schedule.

    ((uhm . . . nevermind?))


  • Thanks for the mention, bud. Hope to see you around. 🙂

  • A

    Darn and just as I started replaying Archer …..

    Until we meet again.