[Temple of Carmelya] Growth and Blessing in Taralon [Pala and Fishstick]

[Palacrisis D Jones]

Time stamp 4th cycle of Kalendryas Winter Era XIV following the events in
The Austerfield gardens

This was his second visit to the little northern town of Vers in little more than a month .whereas he had been on a private mission before the reason for his visit this time was wider reaching yet still personal in a special way.

He made his way to the academy as before and made enquiries as to whether the Master Druidess Monai could possibly find a candlemark to see him again. He had a request that if the druid could see her way towards fulfilling might have a marked effect on the war torn province perhaps he was dreaming out of his league but it did not do to go against the express desire of a goddess.

Sitting quietly in the wonderful house of glass surrounded by verdant plants he went over the request in his mind A Druidess and a Thaum to grow and bless a natural temple to the goddess. A fountain of spring water that would flow for ever as source of peace and worship of the goddess, all to be completed before the start of spring…Dealing with the Aetherian entities was never supposed to be easy but in the middle of the coldest winter on record !

[Fish Stick]

As he approached the glass dome where the druid's training was done during the seasons of fall and winter, he would notice something. Many people were gathered at the front gate, all of them looking around, and wondering. Overhearing something said by one of the patrons there, Palacrisis could hear them say, "I wonder where Mistress Monai has gone... she hasn't been seen since yesterday, and has missed teaching her classes today. This isn't like her at all..." As Palacrisis came even closer to the crowd, he would see a familiar face. It was the saurid that was to be his guide.

The saurid also recognized Palacrisis, and made his way over to him immediately. "Palacrisssssisssss, have you ssssseen misssssstresssss Monai anywhere? The lasssssst ssssshe wasssss sssseen wasssss heading into the Optia Greenwoodsssss hersssself..." he said. It was obvious that the saurid seemed to be worried about her, which was rare for saurids, but being a softskin lover, and outcast of normal saurid society, this particular one worried a great deal about his teacher not being there...

[Palacrisis D Jones]

For once the tall human was too absorbed with his own thoughts to pay much attention with what was going on around him but the babble of conversation was getting louder and he jerked back to his position within the glass dome to catch remnants of the worried conversations.

Before he had time to register the fact that something unusual was going on he was joined by the saurid he had met just briefly when last he had met with the Mistress Monai[

Ssss'tak its good to see you again and no indeed I have not seen the mistress in fact I came to see her she is missing since last brightening you say? Well a druids of her power and intellect should be safe probably just absorbed by her work yet it is a bitterly cold winter this season it is perhaps a little peculiar that she should choose to be alone in the woods for such a time…..

Perhaps instinct or even a certain realism that trouble followed him like a faithful hound however cast doubt on his assured reply Look Ssss’tak if it would make your mind any easier maybe we should go and look for the lady .I am sure it is nothing but it never hurts to be cautious lead on and I shall follow you, the Optia Greenwoods await.

Pala checked that his hunting knife was snug at the back of his belt and shrugged into the fur coat gloves and warm shapeless hat he wore against the chill and stood up ready to face the wild woods of Vers.

[Fish Stick]

"I think it besssssst that we go ssssssearch for her, lesssst sssssomething might happen. You never know in the Optia Greenwoodsssss, for many dangerssssss and mysteriessssss lurk there to my knowledge. Unexssssplainable eventsssss happen ssssssometimesssss, asssss you well know..."

The saurid nodded at his knowledge, and then said, "I ssssshall meet you back here in one candlemark, be ssssssure that you are ready to go... actually, let usssss meet at the sssssouthern gatesssss. We will have to go around the csssssity to gain entrancssssse to the Optia Greenwoodsssss..." he finished, and then went about his business of getting ready for their journey...

[Palacrisis D Jones]

The saurid might well expect that Palacrisis had some knowledge of the Greenwoods but the truth was he had hardly even heard of the forest. So the dire warnings of dangers mysteries and general uneasiness that Ssss'tak spoke of did not give the human much confidence. If a master Druidess chose to go gallivanting about in dangerous woodlands on her own in the middle of winter then that was her business but he could not avoid this little trek, he needed the Druidess for his own ends.

He shrugged well Ssss’tak thank you for the warning and the good news …. he chuckled softly Very well a candlemark then at the southern gates, I shall be there.

He strolled away and into the little town apparently a man at his leisure but underneath the façade of calm nonchalance a frisson of trepidation was running through him.

Arriving at the gates ahead of his saurid guide Pala leaned against a wall and lit up a cigar and watched the events through hooded eyes. His attention was immediately caught by the strangest sight a gnome sitting on the shoulders of a rock golem. He chuckled at the sight but as always with Aelyria it was the unusual the odd and the strange that marked a city from its fellows Vers the city of Arcana was no exception.

[Fish Stick]

As he sat there awaiting Ssss'tak to make his way to the southern gates, the gnome on the golem looked towards him, and then asked, "Is there something I can help you with? Or are you waiting for someone? I have many stories if you're waiting for someone, but not many people choose to listen to them... perhaps i could entertain you with one if you'd like?" As he asked this, he wondered himself if Palacrisis would be one to listen to the stories and ramblings of an old gnome...

[Palacrisis D Jones]

Gunther the Archadoon gnome gadgeteer and golem crafter had introduced Palacrisis to the arts and uses of the golem back when he had been governor of Arakmat this example of the craft was distinctly a bit knobbly around the edges but for all that it worked and that seemed like quite a testament to the gnome sitting on its shoulders. He was early for his appointment so he had a little time to kill so…….


Serale Sir gnome the names Palacrisis damn silly name if you ask me but there you are… You tell stories eh? I wager there is quite a story about your rocky friend here but I have at least a quarter candlemark before my saurid friend arrives so please if you will tell I shall be honoured to listen to your tale

The opportunity to be amused and maybe learn something new was something that Pala never passed on. What the “gnome on the golem” had in mind was a mystery but well it never did any harm to indulge an oddball character like this.

[Fish Stick]

"Why yes, the story of my golem is quite interesting, and if you'd like to hear it, then i'd be happy to share it. You see, finding the parts for this guy was not all that simple, one had to run around all over the empire to gather enough gadgets and rocks to create this golem. The hardest part especially was the blade for an arm, yes indeed that was difficult, but a little sculpting and sharpening and voiala it's finished. Casting the magics needed to bring him to life was also difficult, but in the end i managed it. That is obvious as you can see he is quite alive..." said the gnome. He would have continued, but before he could say anything more, Palacrisis's saurid companion walked up, and almost immediately asked Palacrisis, "Are you ready to go?"

[Palacrisis D Jones]

Gnomes were not known for being dull but this one graduated in spades he went on and on about the damned golem describing all the details of construction and its animation in copious details most of which went over Pala’s head .So it was with no little sense of relief he spotted his saurid guide in the distance and was then able to stop the flow of enthusiastic words from the gnome with......


My dear sir that was truly fascinating and if ever I should have the need of such a wondrous creation why my dear fellow I shall come looking for you. Now I would ask you to excuse me my companion and I have business in the Greenwoods.
As the saurid greeted him Pala whispered Not a moment too soon Ssss'tak I was afraid that my gnome friend and his golem were going to have to be invited on our expedition. Which would hardly be suitable considering we may have to approach this problem of the missing Druidess with a bit of subtlety.


Shifting the warm winter cloak so as little of the cold winds blew through him as possible he was ready to walk to the forest.

[Fish Stick]

"Yesssss, that gnome can be a bit of an annoying one, with all of the sssssstoriessssss sssssssurrounding him and his golem. Perhapsssss thought it might not have been entirely bad if he joined usssss, in cassssse we had needed the exssssstra power, but at the sssssame time i agree with you entirely that we should approach the problem with ssssssome form of sssssubtlety..." he said as he began to lead Palacrisis out of the gate, and then around to the right side of the city walls.

"We sssssshall follow the csssssity wall until we reach the greenwoodsssss, hopefully we will be able to find out missssssing druidessssss asssss sssssoon asssss we get there, but there will be no garunteesssss. It'sssss been sssssaid that fae inhabit the foressssst, and that might have been the reassssson Missssstressss Monai went there. If it isssss we sssssshould approach the sssssituation with much precaution asssss thossssse fae can be a bit tricky to deal with..."

[Palacrisis D Jones]

Pala smiled back at his companion , You are the expert in these matters and know the area better than I, if you think that the gnome and his golem might be useful then by all means bring them along.

Leaving the decision up to Ssss'tak he strode off following the city walls and walking towards the Greenwoods. The warning about wild faes was interesting he knew more faes than most but he had rarely met the wild ones of the woods.

You know he remarked as they walked …. I am a personal friend of Queen Sharinya and Llanwyn Siannodel both faes and I have the honour to be a guest member of house Siannodel. It was under my leadership that Trysvale proclaimed against Julos the mad when he issued a pogrom on the faes offering them a home. But wild free faes I do not think I have ever met before so this will be most interesting, nothing more then that I hope!

He walked on his long stride picking off the miles it was cold but the exercise raised a bead of sweat and mayhap was doing his waistline no harm at all.

[Fish Stick]

"You are a persssssonal friend of the Queen of the Fae?" he asked, skeptically, not entirely sure to believe what Palacrisis was saying as they continued to walk around the side of the city walls. "Perhapsssss ssssshe can control thessssse fae... the lassssst time they invaded our csssssity, they causssssed ssssso much havoc we had to closssssse the Arcana academy down. Hopefully they don't get into the csssssity again to caussssse any missssschief... that'sssss pretty much all they do for usssss..."

As they continued to walk, they could see the large leafless trees infront of them, the winter's snow blanketting the forest floor, and could feel the cold breeze about them. "That isssss the greenwoodssss, though they are not very green during the winter ssssseassssssonsssss..." said the saurid as they continued towards the line of empty trees...

[Palacrisis D Jones]

Pala chuckled at the scepticism of the saurid.

Queen Sharinya kindly officiated at my wedding to my wife J’lyara. We met in Trysvale some eras ago. I played a small part in rescuing her from a band of villains who had stolen her crown and were going to put her in a cage to fight my cat and some rats, peculiar business but we became firm friends thereafter. I am sure were she here the queen would put your wild faes in their place but alas she isn’t so it looks as though we are going to have to deal with them ourselves.

Pala was not particularly afraid but that did not mean he was not alert to any strange occurrences. The walk continued deeper into the woods , a skeletal place full of shadows and twisting paths icy streams and brooks crisscrossed the ever increasing bare trees that spread their bare branches closer to the path they walked…..Pala lifted his head scanning upwards and then slipped back into looking at the path in front of them constantly on the alert now.

It was clear that Mistress Monai had wandered deeper into the strange winter forest and they would have trouble finding her in the tangle of the wildwoods….Pala spoke quietly,

Have you any idea why the lady Druidess would come here in the middle of winter was she perhaps working on something special?

[Fish Stick]

Ssss'tak listened as Palacrisis explained about how Sharinya officiated his and J'lyara's wedding. Nodding his assent, he turned his snakelike head towards Palacrisis and prepared to answer his question. "Truthfully, I have no idea assssss to why sssssshe would come out here in the middle of thissssss freezsssssing winter... I think that there might be ssssssomething going on with the treesssss or something, perhapsssss a dissssseasssse that will kill them before they can regrow in the sssssspring... I ssssssort of remember her mentioning ssssssomething of the sssssort..." he said, his voice hissing at every s, as his charismean was not very refined.

Suddenly, as they were walking through the woods, a loud screech could be heard. One could not tell if it was human, or an animal, as it pierced the cold winter's day. The wind then rustled the branches of the trees around them, and they could hear the creaking of the wood of the trees. As the cold air blew around the two of them, a feeling of dread might have overcame them as to not knowing what the screech came from...

[Palacrisis D Jones]

The woods played a melody of discordant nature, rustling trees bare of leaf the crunch of footsteps on the path as they walked occasionally breaking through surface ice adding to the percussion sounds of the forest in the depths of winter. They crunched through snow their footsteps muffled adding a softer tone to the orchestra of the woodlands.

Pala was on the alert his eyes searching quartering the ground and then lifting to observe the tree line looking for any indication of the missing Druidess his ears were fully employed straining to filter out the sounds of a forest in deepest winter trying to catch the faintest indication of where other sentient beings might be in this tangled maze of winding paths and snagging undergrowth. He had no particular woods craft but common sense and sharp eyes would have to make up for this lack. He was concentrating looking for clues his breathing slowing becoming more disciplined a practise he found easy as it was the same discipline he used to seek clara. The sheer act of meditation had been found to be beneficial for him, he used it every brightening to calm himself when the stress of high office or the act of simply living began to press in on him. He was so accustomed to this discipline he barely noticed he was doing it…it simply helped him!

But for all of his inner calm he was not prepared for the screech that echoed through the Greenwood it came out of the ether and sent a cold shiver right through him.the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and his heart that moments ago was beating slow and even jumped up a notch or two. He sucked in air as he again quartered the ground and sky searching for an explanation of the dreadful sound. It was not the sort of sound that could be put a label on, it was primeval, unexplained, different and ……

The cold draft running up his back and settling into the pit of this stomach told his brain that …..fear was the name of the call and dread was its introductory card.

He was spooked and he knew it but he had the discipline and even as he continued to search the area his training kicked in and he sought the blessed peace of clara ….. he spoke in quick clipped tones

going to try something….guard my body…going to cast a spell.

He had been taught a very useful spell Vision and he intended to use it to search the area for the location of the cry by infusing himself into the astral plane.

Squatting down onto his knees looking up towards the sky he found the nexus of power drawing strands of ara and vis together he focussed his energies so that he infused his very essence into the nature of space using the mana to move away from his body and begin to search in the immediate vicinity. In theory he could probably range abroad for up to two miles but the screech had sounded much closer.

He was helpless in this state his only guardian the saurid.
.