Marty preaches St Jerrick
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The Halfling Gardener/Senator Martoushca Leaffall was spotted the other night staggering into the commons. She seemed dazed, talking about N'Jast, barricades and cobblestones. The brightly clad warrior Andrew escorted her to the Temple of the Triad to be tended to. Afterwards she was escorted by two officers of the Legion back toward the Legion Tower on the pass.
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On the occasions that Marty emerges from the plague stricken residential district to busk and raise coin for potions, she is not dressed in her usual druidic robes. Instead she is donned in armour which has been embossed with runes warding against chaos and evil. She also Jingles with other charms, talismans and trinkets bearing similar wards. Even her boots are trimmed with protective runes.
Her standard performance is the Mountain Song, a folk hymn sung in honour of Jerrick Rayfe who is now the Guardian of the Balance, his spirit united with the sacred mountain. This song is sometimes followed by a sad Hin lullaby.
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[[In a mostly vain attempt to raise funds for Remove Disease potions for those stricken by the Plague in Peltarch, Marty has taken up busking in the commons. While waiting for the right time to beseech Sheela Peryroyl for more healing magic, she will tap her tambourine and sing (poorly, but with lots of passion) the "Mountain" song]]
((EDIT: words of the "Mountain Song" below. Sung to the tune of "Go Tell it on the Mountain". Peter Paul & Mary's version ))
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafe is there.Glacier is adva-a-ncing
To freeze our fields so fair
But slow-ly now he’s in the mountain
We’re sustained by his love and care.Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafeis there.If the sea’s a mighty tempest
If the fields yield up no fo-od.
Let the mountain hear your pleading
Jerick intercedes for our good.Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafe is the–----re.
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As snow and bitter wind assails Peltarch, Marty takes up her spot in the commons and begins to preach:
Sons and daughters of the Jewel!
Aye, the snow is bitter!
Verily, is this not exactly what has been foretold?
Let me read for you from the Scriptures of St Jerrick, she takes out a tome and opens it up the Testimony of Leena Raife, Chapter Three, verse Eleven:@9e387d9656:
He would use the hundred year period. Gradually, winter is coming back. The land of snow and seasons is returning, with a patient, steady hand, guiding it, and watching over all.
The winter is coming back. The Glacier is advancing. Slowly now thanks to his patient, steady hand. He speaks to us now through his witnesses and harbingers, now is the time to prepare!
Cast aside selfishness! Care for one another! Let him who has two cloaks give one to him who has none! Let him who has two lumps of coal give one to him who has none. For verily it is only by abiding together that we will endure.
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@1154f291d1=Wywernywin:
Commoner in the crowd shouts:
St. Jerrick, please let me worship you!!
fist pumps in salute to commoner
Aye! It is right to honor him. But let your act of "worship" be devotion to your patron god and love for your neighbor!
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Commoner in the crowd shouts:
St. Jerrick, please let me worship you!!
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after distributing the second tract, "The Testimony of Cpt. Romulus", Marty takes up her position on top of the barrel again
SONS and DAUGHTERS of the JEWEL!
I pray by now word has reached ye concerning Jerrick and concerning the destiny of the Jewel. But in case it hasn’t, I beg that ye lend me attention for a moment for some words of encouragement!
Love has always defended this city. When attacked from outside, love inspired sacrifice. When attacked from within, love united us and kept us strong. But the challenge that now approaches Peltarch, now more slowly thanks to the sacrifice of the Guardian of the Mountain, is not an attack. Nor is it malicious. But it will be a challenge none the less, and our survival once again will depend on our love for one another.
The challenge I speak of is the advance of the Great Glacier. The ice would advance upon us before we could ready ourselves were it not for Jerrick, but now he has given us a chance to prepare. We may not see the land freeze in our life time, but be sure that our grandchildren will walk on snow, and their children will walk on ice.
The embers burn hot when together. But separate an ember from the fire and it soon grows dim. In the same way, if we seek our neighbor's good we will continue to glow brightly. But seek only our own good and we will not endure.
It is too late to take action when the ice is already upon us. Now is the time to take action. Now is the time to help your neighbor insulate his home. Now is the time to share warmer clothing. Now is the time to stock oil and coal. If Jerrick’s example teaches us anything it is to value one another. He has left behind so much to abide within the mountain forever. If we waste this time so that the ice comes upon Peltarch unprepared then his sacrifice would surely be in vain.
So let him who has two cloaks give one to him who has none. Let him who plants wheat and corn now plant beets and spinach and potatoes and other crops that resist the cold. Let that which is coming upon Peltarch be always on our minds, and let love guide our actions so that the Jewel may continue to shine even when all around her is bitter.
((11 ranks in persuade if anyone cares about that kind of thing))
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*_Marty rounds up a pair of buskers and sings the following song while tapping on a tambourine.
The song is sung to the tune of "Go Tell it on the Mountain" like this or this (Peter, Paul and Marty!)*
((will trash 100gp for the buskers (50gp each) next time I'm on, unless someone wants their PC to do the job? send me a PM.))
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafe is there.Glacier is adva-a-ncing
To freeze our fields so fair
But slow-ly now he’s in the mountain
We’re sustained by his love and care.Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafeis there.If the sea’s a mighty tempest
If the fields yield up no fo-od.
Let the mountain hear your pleading
Jerick intercedes for our good.Go tell it to the moun-tain
Over nature he takes good care-yeah
Go tell it to the moun-tain
Jerrick Rafe is the–----re.((Marty has a total perform skill of 5 if anyone is wondering about how average her singing is.))_
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(OOC: I'm actually finding this whole thing pretty hilarious. Great RP by all. XD )
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a few days after her discussion in the commons, Marty again takes her position on top of her barrel and preaches her second sermon in the commons.
It has been said by Jerrick’s own flesh and blood that he, the Guardian of the Mountain, the one who holds the Balance of Nature in his hand, "despises" me. Aye that he is even "ashamed" of me! Some of you may have even heard this testimony here in these very commons.
I have meditated on this. At first I believed it just to be the humility of his kin - uncomfortable with the veneration of the one who they knew and loved when he was but a mere man. But I did ask, as we all may well ask, how is it that a “good man” hates one who loves him so much? How is it that he “despises” one who would give her life for him without a moment hesitation?
Let me confess the reason. I am a SINNER.
In his righteousness he has judged me, and found me wanting.
Aye, I may be righteous IN MY OWN EYES, as we all may have good opinions about ourselves. But in truth we SELFISHLY receive the benefit of sacrifice and then get on with our SELFISH agendas as if the sacrifice means little. Aye we continue in our SELFISHNESS, untouched by the love and sacrificial spirit that saves us!
And Jerrick watches over all. Why would he not be appalled at what he sees in me? For the greater the goodness, the greater the offence at impurity. As a sheep may appear to be white on the grass, but in the pure snow appear filthy, as do I appear filthy in the eyes of he who is now pure.
Aye before LOVE changes us, are we not but MAGGOTS, writhing in the FILTH of our own CORRUPTION!? Verily we do feast upon the fruits of our selfishness, and CRAP out CORRUPTION! And then we do FEAST upon that CORRUPTION, and crap out MORE CORRUPTION to FEAST UPON!
But now the message of LOVE has come to us! PELTARCH- I beg of ye, join with me in REPENTANCE! Let LOVE change ye! Aye in the name of SHEELA PERYROYL, who loves FERTILITY and REPRODUCTION, and in the name of SUNE whose temple is here, who is the patron of LOVE and BEAUTY, and in the name of St JERRICK, who guards over the balance of nature, and who loves nature’s bounty … in the name of all these and in the name of the gods ye may already worship … LOVE!
Let the MERCHANT love those he trades with, and trade with them fairly!
Let the DEFENDER love the Jewel, train hard and be ready to sacrifice themselves as many have already sacrificed themselves for ye!
Let the GUARD love Peltarch’s citizens, dispensing justice tempered with MERCY.
Let the HUSBAND love and cleave unto his WIFE! Aye let husbands be tender with them, and be intimate with them, that they may be fruitful and multiply, not forgetting foreplay and pillow talk. _with less volume Seriously… that stuff is important! Not that I would know from experience being a maiden, but I’ve heard …. Yeah it’s important._
resumes preaching voice
And verily, as we do LOVE, such will change us! AYE for it is impossible that SELFISHNESS and HATRED abide in the same heart as LOVE! Let the JEWEL be known as a place where selfishness and hatred are no more, and where LOVE REIGNS!
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Alright. So you would agree with Leena and say that what she said is true.
Let me ask you a Question Lycka. Jerrick being Guardian of the Mountain - "with all that entails", what does that mean to you?
What do you think it means to me?
Isn't worship simply love and admiration toward the spiritual being who is the governor of things that are sacred to you? Merchants worship Waukeen because trade is her domain, and trade is sacred to them. A paladin may worship Tyr because Justice is Tyr's domain, and justice is sacred to them.
I'm a druid Lycka. To me, the Balance is everything. Even the dogma of my goddess Sheela Peryroyl bless her name makes druidic genuflection is secondary to the Balance. The Balance is sacred to me.
The Balance is now Jerrick's domain. He is an immortal spirit that is in control over the thing that is most sacred to me. He may not be a god, but it isn't wrong for me to venerate him as my saint.
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"No, the word I'm looking for isn't 'quoted', Marty, because even though you may have written down Leena's words very accurately, you've set them in a frame which she doesn't agree with. I'd be highly irked if that happened to me, it's most certainly highjacking.
The story itself is truthful - several knights of the Order were on that same trip, as was Romulus, Defender Shallyah and Luke of the Black Sails. They're actual witnesses and participants in the dramatic journey up the mountain, each one a savior in their own right as they all put their lives on the line to stop the flooding. I expect Leena's spoken with several of them to get the full details of what happened.
No one disputes the story itself, nor the fact that Jerrick is now the Guardian of the Mountain, with all that this entails. He deserves full respect and admiration for the choice he made, I agree. It's when you turn admiration to -worship- that I have to disagree, and judging from Leena's reaction, so does she."
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"Hijacked"? Dear I think the word you are looking for is "quoted". It's pretty much word for word just as she said it. And it would have been wrong for me not to put her name on it, seeing that it is her story.
She told her story in public for many witnesses. It's just the same in writing. To be honest I really have no idea what the fuss is about. I mean … is there a part of her own story that she disagrees with? She did tell the truth right?
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A sceptical look from Lycka as she reads through the pamphlet Marty handed her.
"Yeah, no foisting at all - except for using her story, none of which she witnessed herself I might add, as the basis of your new belief. AND plastering her name on the front with huge letters, as if she endorsed the use of her words in this manner. Marty, you hijacked her story and turned it into something else, something she never intended, can't you see that?
I just hope Jerrick's getting a good laugh out of all this…"
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@95a643042c=Karnivor:
Lycka gives a wry smile.
"You haven't changed a bit, have you Marty? It never ceases to amaze me that you can look at the same story, the same evidence, hear the same exact words as I and still draw a completely, wildly different conclusion.
joking tone That'd be the wisdom darling.
@95a643042c=Karnivor:
But you're right in respect - you are free to believe what you want. I'd ask you to respect that Leena doesn't want the role you are trying to foist on her, though. How you interpret the story she told is frankly, all up to you - just don't go insisting that she intended for you to believe what you do. No one can predict the mind of Marty, that is my own firmly held belief."
OH no "foisting" and no "insisting" at all.
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Lycka gives a wry smile.
"You haven't changed a bit, have you Marty? It never ceases to amaze me that you can look at the same story, the same evidence, hear the same exact words as I and still draw a completely, wildly different conclusion.
But you're right in respect - you are free to believe what you want. I'd ask you to respect that Leena doesn't want the role you are trying to foist on her, though. How you interpret the story she told is frankly, all up to you - just don't go insisting that she intended for you to believe what you do. No one can predict the mind of Marty, that is my own firmly held belief."
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@de78d3cc95=Karnivor:
Lycka's calm, clear voice is heard interjecting the following:
"Marty, telling a story, whether based on fiction or fact, is -not- by definition preaching - else every bard would be a prophet or a priest. Preaching has a more specific aim, it's about influencing your audience towards a usually faith-based belief, and is often laced with lessons in morality - like your own sermons of the past few days. In short, preaching is about making others believe what you believe.
Well, to be fair dear, you weren't present when Leena spoke. I did write down her words though. Please, feel free to take a copy hands out a tract
You're right of course. Not every bard is a prophet or a priest. But she did more than just "tell a story". Her words inspired me to re-evaluate my faith. I still love my patron god. But consider this for a moment, up until I heard Leena's account of her father's deeds I had believed that the balance of nature - the very thing I have dedicated my life to preserving - was in the hands of my god, but under threat because of the conflict between gods of opposing motivations.
But now! I mean to find out that a man who I already loved and adored because of the sacrifice he made for me during the war - a man I already looked up to - to discover that he has been elevated to the place where he has control over the balance - to the point where the will of the gods of nature are second to his own goals ….
... are you telling that you don't think a story like that is going to lead me to faith? I have come to believe what Leena believes about her Father. So her account "made others believe" what she believes. I mean right after Leena's story one who heard immediately beseeches Jerrick for snow. That was an act of faith!
@de78d3cc95=Karnivor:
Jerrick's story is one that won't soon be forgotten - it will and already has been told and retold, many times in your absence. In fact, I know a young bard at the College who is composing a book about him. Well intended as your newfound worship is, it's upsetting to those of us who know him well, because while you glorify him, you also reduce him to something falsely perfect and far less complex than the whole of his person. Or the whole of his story, for that matter."
Please let me make something very clear. I love and adore Jerrick. Just as those who "know him well" do. I understand why some may feel uncomfortable with Jerrick's elevation. But understand, the gods of nature yield to his will in matters concerning the balance. He is the one "making them play nice". Please tell me that you can see things from my perspective? Maybe you need to be druish to fully appreciate the implications.
Here in Peltarch, we have freedom of belief. At lease last time I checked I did. As long as we don't bow the knee to Bane of course. Leena has spoken her truth. How about we let folks make up their own mind as to how to respond to it? I mean, for loving and adoring one who I hold to be my savior and a saint in my faith I am being called a "false prophet"? So … what ... I shouldn't love him? I shouldn't have gratitude toward him?
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Lycka's calm, clear voice is heard interjecting the following:
"Marty, telling a story, whether based on fiction or fact, is -not- by definition preaching - else every bard would be a prophet or a priest. Preaching has a more specific aim, it's about influencing your audience towards a usually faith-based belief, and is often laced with lessons in morality - like your own sermons of the past few days. In short, preaching is about making others believe what you believe.
Jerrick's story is one that won't soon be forgotten - it will and already has been told and retold, many times in your absence. In fact, I know a young bard at the College who is composing a book about him. Well intended as your newfound worship is, it's upsetting to those of us who know him well, because while you glorify him, you also reduce him to something falsely perfect and far less complex than the whole of his person. Or the whole of his story, for that matter."
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@0ee480ea5b=JerrickRafe:
Seriously. It was just story-time, so you could know what happened. I'm going to go find Rom.
calling after her
Oh please do.
Marty beams a bit, preparing a quill and parchment so she can take notes.
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Seriously. It was just story-time, so you could know what happened. I'm going to go find Rom.
She drags her sister toward the bardic college, thinking about how to make this right.
