Albor Bennard - Cavalier of the Morninglord
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Albor stepped from the Morninghalls, and the warm spring sun shining on his yellow robes turned his head for a moment to look west across the sea of falling stars. Looking back, seeing the white and yellow robes worshippers walking from the brightly lit prayer halls of the temple to lathander. Seeing the sun reflecting off the strong spring waves he mused to himself. "Beginnings.. it is this which greets our day, and so that it is that beginnings are what i shall make of this day."
Turning, he saw his father, Sir Feren Bennard the symbol of Torm in gold around his neck as prominent as ever. Bowing his head in respect to his middle aged father the young Albor looked down the steps of the temple to the carriage waiting on the stone-laid streets. He walked down to greet his father each clasping a hand on each others shoulder in a symbol of respect for the adult Albor had recently become.
"May the morninglord greet you father as i do" he offered his usual greeting to the black-bearded man who climbed back into the carriage with a smile indicating he should join him.
The carriage sped through the streets, Albor looking out brielfy to see the dominant edifice of the Temple of Torm's coming passing by, knights entering and leaving the gates and priests of Torm and the blue colouring of Tyrs followers speaking together.
"In our house, you have a visitor Albor" Sir Ferren, his father said proudly. Aide to the High priest of your faith is waiting for you.
Albor smiled proudly. "So it is time father at last? Where does she wish of me to journey to..? Where will Lathanders deliverance be lit..? Will there be a shrine? In what realm..? " The questions barraged the older man and he simply smiled. All things in time. "Acton do make-eth the man, you know that, and where she will have you head you will be not wanting more.." he chuckled pleasantly.The carriage pulled to a stop outside a humble town house in the morning light of the tantras streets, the shadows still long as the sun rises slowly above the high city walls. Heading indoors the father and son headed toward a reception room and straightening his tied belt around his yellow robes Albor bowed his head though grinning inside himself slightly knowing he was going to meet the stunningly radiant Merinna Pralmirosi, sub-priestess of Lathander. Looking up for a moment as he heard the soft voice ask him to sit his father beside him, he saw the gold tassels of her robe then up at her face the woman sat only a few feet away from him. He gave her a grin and a wink that his father did not see in a contrast to his modest and wise bearing, aware as usual of the athletic and passionate young woman, only 5 years older than him that last season ran around the shores of the sea with him at her heels.
He saw her compose herself quickly tightening her fine yellow robe about her body, and the slightest hint of a blush soon disappearing from her cheeks as she met Albors and then his father's gaze evenly and kindly. Her voice took on a well practiced and formal aspect and Albor adopted a respectful aspect his hands folding in his lap upon the wooden upholstered large seats they sat upon.
"You are to head to the realm of Narfell Albor, news has reeached the temple of torm and our halls of the morning that a great evil has been recently vanquished there by the grace of the faithful and a diverse group of local inhabitants. The head priest and the faithful wish to see you in that region to make contact with a shrine to the morninglord in that land, and to see that the faithful are prepared both for the deliverance as well as to hold the line against the dark shadows that we", she says looking to his father concerned, "have seen approaching in that land." "Sir Ferren, is Albor's training progressing well, i trust he has learnt all he can for now from your swordmasters?" Interrupting his father for a moment in a uncommon yet cheerful comment Albor spoke quickly before his father could respond before falling silent to let him speak.
"Oh yes Meri our training, .. i mean my training has been going well. I have been reaching new heights with my tutors since last summer." he smiles slightly to her
"His vigilance and ardour is commendable priestess, his techniques show great promise". his father spoke with a slight stern look to the young man.
"Well then Albor you must then leave our side and depart.", she throws back a drape over a long table with some humble belongings upon it alongside an impressive though simply made greatsword. "This will be all you will need, your training and the invigoration of the morninglord will sustain you. You will take holy orders in this new land. Seek out the shrine and see that the faith is spread among those there."Handing his belongings to him her hand brushing his a moment as their eyes meet for a fleeting moment she smiles kindly at him. "Be safe Albor, and stay strong in your faith" she says in hushed tones. "You will need no carriage from now on, take a mount from the stables of the morning halls and depart, send it back by way of the borders before you venture into the wilds, i want to see you get even fitter than you are." she gives away a brief smile and then bows respectfully to them both as Albor slung his pack and his greatsword on his back.
"Go now with the morning, now noon approaches and go with the grace of the morninglord each day, each moment with each one that you meet. The great deliverance approaches, it is said time is short. Prepare and prosper in our faith." her eyes glitter with the passion of her faith as she grips her holy symbol placing her hand upon his strong chest the blessings of the morninglord passing into him. Albor smiled in reverence and bowing in respect and giving her a cheeky wink he grasped his fathers arm in a parting gesture in the grip of a warrior.
"Father.. may the morninglord light your way." Albor turned and strode from the house of his father toward the stables of the temple and then to the outskirts the sun reaching its zenith over the city of Tantras.
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The Prayer of Priestess Rith
Albor smiled, deep in prayer the young woman soon to be brought into the arms of their faith knelt beside him, Priestess Rith smiling down warmly at the woman.
Albor called to mind the many prayers that spring into his mind as suddenly as the sun crests the hilltops but then quietened his mind as he saw the glow around him from the shrine, the armoured tyrran friend of the young woman standing quietly beside the shrine as Priestess Rith spoke to the young woman her young and unsure voice repeating the phrases.
_Lord above, within the light, hear my words.
Let my hope not be failing, grant me strength
to bring your light where it cannot reach.Protect me from my selfish pride, and guide me
to see new life again, so that i may know what
you have brought forth.Guide my hand so that it may vanquish your oppressors
Guide my tongue so that it may speak only truth
Guide my heart so that it may guide others and bring them hope.And when my time comes, direct my eyes to the heavens
so that i may see the last dawn in your honour._-
Albor opened his eyes after repeating the words after the young convert and putting a hand onher shoulder he reminded her he would be there to guide her as she needed.
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Turning to face the dawn briefly and bowing he smiled to the priestess bowing again before he headed from the shrine out into the morning sun.
[- Thanks goes to shadevar for the prayer of Priestsess Rith -]
(( replies from Rith welcome in reply to this post ))
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The Tale of the Shadows and the Pillars of Faith
Albor walked from the gates of the town, the golden armoured tyrran woman beside him resolute in her task. Rumours had been heard of strange new disturbances in the crypts and Albor had pledged his blade in the name of this news.
The light of the approaching dawn faded as they entered the crypt and Albor spoke quiet prayers as they ventured inside, the bad taste of a healing potion on his lips.
Soon the clumsy and foul creations of evil magics were assailing them from every direction, and each time the skeletal and animated creatures were driven back in disarray by the will of Natanya's faith and destroyed as they were destroyed by Albor's and Natanya's blades.
Giving thanks for their success and wishing the spirits of the now permanently dead a peaceful journey to their gods side a great rumble and pounding was heard as if coming from the pits of the abyss itself.
They both gripped their blades tightly and stood without fear uttering prayers to their deities for strength and courage.
The pounding grew closer and closer as if a great beast was approaching from an unseen shadowy place, and before their eyes a great dark red nimbus of power erupted upon an old stone slab in the centre of the room forming a pillar of infernal light before them.
Calling out in utternaces of faith, they attacked the shadowy creature who coalesced in front of them as if from the portal of shadow itself. Albor's guard deflected attack after attack from the creature while striking at another that tried to assail him from the flank throwing it back.
Together they threw back the creatures attacks driving them back to the place they had come. Seeing a lapse in the attacks of the creatures they both focussed their will in prayer to call for aid to close the portal of death and shadow glimmering in front of them.
" May Lathanders light come within this dark place… I call on your power to cleanse this evil.... The sun will rise in this place.. let the sunrise come... eternal and your deliverance come! " Albor uttered in stern resolution his sword in front of him as he prayed on his knees.
The last shadow jumped from the portal, Albor and Natanya barely fending off its blows before it too was driven back to its shadowy home, and then suddenly two pillars of light burst from the shimmering air albor smiling recognising the work of his lord stepping within to be engulfed in divine energy revitalising him as he motioned for the lady to do the same to a pillar of energy in front of her.
" Tyr guide my blade to destroy this evil, may the shadows return to whence you came!"; her blue eyes flashing in the darkness as she clasped her holy symbol.
Standing within the pillars the utterances and prayers of the faithful continued calling on all their will to invoke and request their deities for aid. The air reaching a feverpitch of activity, as the war of light and darkness was fought in front of them, great bolts of lightning striking the portal of shadow and an all consuming aura of sunlight consumed the area the two barely able to stand and watch as both prayed.. eyes shut, they knelt on the ground in acceptance of their respective gods power.
"The dawn comes! the sun rises upon this dark place" Albor uttered from somewhere deep within him
From the pillar erupted a terrible cry of defeat, of collapse as the shadowy portal folded in upon itself in a shattering flash and the two faithful opened their eyes to gaze upon the peaceful and still crypt before them.
they turned to each other and said in so many words.... after words of thanks in reverence to their deities "Our work here is done".
"Your courage will be long remembered miss Natanya" Albor promised, she in turn replying in hope that they will fight side by side once more, the two walking out into the new dawn and the cleansing eternal rain of Norwick.
((ooc: much thanks to Linah for this short event 10/10 ))
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Albor stepped through the battered gates of the barbarian town, walking past the dour town militia with a friendly glance and a smile that was not returned. Looking down as his muddied and in places slashed robes he sheathed his now slightly notched greatsword on his back his eyes watchful and alert from the many many tendays since his departure from Tantras.
He passed by the quiet evening campfires beside the wall before looking at the strange glowing menhir stones uttering a prayer to the morninglord in a quiet chant that was said to ward off the shadows.
"Could this be the town which the elves said held the most northerly shrine of the morninglord, where is the joy and blessings of this place." he said to himself. Looking down at the dark mud and burnt grass around the gates and the injured folk sitting around the fire, the notched weapons of the guards and the archer platforms, though new, appearing damaged and burnt too he realised this was indeed the town that had withstood a great assault recently.
Clapping a young hesitant young warrior on the shoulder he smiled at him bringing a smile to his face as he said "The night will soon be over friend, watch for the dawn for it will always bring new light to the darkest of places." giving him an encouraging grin.Looking up on the short rise, as Albor entered the town, regarding the sign "Norwick". "Well this is the place". Then albor's gaze saw the gates and the marker of the morninglord his walk quickening to a run as he reached the gates he placed his forehead upon the wood feeling the warmth within. "Thankyou my lord, he said quietly as he threw his hood back unlatching the gates with a grin and pushing them easily aside he walked into the shrine.
Around him was a sight unlike anything he had seen even in the fine stone halls of the morning, open to the sun. Albor fell to his knees on the grass inside the shrine and he gasped as he saw the perpetual dawn lighting the area in a deep red glow. "By all the grace of the morninglord.." he exclaimed loudly.
Standing after a moment of prayer he walked toward the statue of the morninglord and then saw the figure of a woman, a priestess by her garb walking quietly among the welcoming light of the shrine. She smiled to him as he entered, and pushed away all but a few coins of his purse as he emptied it in front of the statue.
The cheerful voice of the lady spoke to him kindly. "Keep your coin warrior, you will need it. I have been expecting you". She took his hand simply and in a gesture of friendship. "Welcome, you have travelled far. Take your rest in our shrine sleep in the arms of the morninglord i shall rouse you before dawn.Albor smiled, humbled although eager to look around this new town he obeyed and moved to a lit fire to settle down to sleep.
(( Replies from Rith welcome ))
