Session IX

We reconvene with our heroes, fresh on the heels of new of no small import to our friends with special significance to our esteemed Aerith, on a scene of a great garden sanctuary in the heart of Anbaerin. However, Aerith, Brixta, Cat, and Cobb, needn't have ventured very far. No with a mere five minute jaunt across that great courtyard of the divine in High Town, the four found themselves among the veritable wilds of the Harmonite's Sanctuary, Temple of Union to the god of two, Sylvaril and Ishtariel.

We must take a moment to describe this god, as they are represented by two deities at once, a special circumstance amongst the Laraan Pantheon. Some call them Union, some refer to them by their individual names, some refer to them as The Two, The Wedded, Harmony, and the names go on. Let it be said that they are generally only referred to as Ishtariel and Sylvaril, by the clergy of their faith, expats from Vassari, Valla, or Verra, who ascribe to the faith in lieu of their homeland cultures, and those sensitive of the elven cultures.

In any case, it should be said that Sylvaril as the Vassari portray him is a honorable warrior god, who values strength and tenacity and wisdom. He is god of the Hunt to the Vassari, and even to many Vallans. He hunts to sustain himself and his people, he hunts to eradicate dangers that would harm the balance, he hunts to preserve. All Vassari receive their vision quest, if you would, called "the Hunt" that they believe to be given them by Sylvaril, a purpose for their lives, as all things must serve a purpose, otherwise they are wastes of time. This is our understanding of the faith, as rudimentary as it must seem to many of our elven brethren. Sylvaril is also considered the progenitor of the elven peoples, with his consort Ishtariel, but there is some grudge between the faithful of Ishtariel and Sylvaril, so it would appear as though they have been estranged by some consequence that has been kept to themselves.

Ishtariel, on the other hand, is the goddess of the moon and nature and fertility. She is the bounty and the storm. She is rest and she is growth. And this humble historian need hardly remind our dear readers, that she is worshipped primarily, as a deity herself, by Verrans, who by worshipping a femenine figure of power, are led by a matriarchal society, and are an exclusionist culture, remaining to this very day rather mysterious and isolated. Purportedly, of those accounts received from those Verrans that find their destinies among the Athanaue, we are told that the Verrans are provided for by the All Mother, what ever do Verrans need of the rest of the world? While you and I, dear reader, may find this a strange and alien sentiment, we are shall forego passing judgement, for that is not our purpose as your guide through history. We merely wish to convey to you all some context surrounding these anomalous deific figures.

As the god of Union, the Two are represented much akin to the views of the Vallans, that both play a part in the shaping and keeping of the world. The Hunter needed to tend to the wildlife and keep it in check; Nature required to sustain the Hunter, and while they may have their differences, their goals are similar, balance, unity, wholeness. They are always portrayed as a married couple, which departs from the Vallan view a touch, as the Vallans believe that though they were once quite close, they have since become rather estranged, however, this does not upset the balance as it might have once, for to the Vallans, balance, though slightly more askew than it had been, perhaps, at one time in a time immemorial, has the hope of becoming whole again. So the Vallans attempt to rise above and to draw their brothers and sisters together, which is apropos, given their geographical location between the Vassari and Verrans, at once separating the two, but trying to bring them together. Those of the more worldly, geopolitical mindset, see a culture trying to unify elvenkind to restore them to some supposed elvish kingdom or empire even, but we will leave those particular ponderings of history prior to the Darkening to our colleagues in the speculative sciences, and to our readers' leisure, as it is outside the scope of this particular history. At least for now.

So, it is the temple of these Two, that our friends walk into, and it is, indeed, much more a garden than it is a temple. In the center is a crystal clear pond, with an island of sorts that supports two trees one a tree of bright white bark and the other a tree of darker brown, growing into each other, their bows shading the entire pond. It is between these two trees that the leaders of the clergy, the Peacemakers, a married couple, give their sermons. Here, on this moment, on this day, the island is empty save for the trees, the pond still, and the sky overcast as if mirroring Aerith's great grief.

For it was, indeed, grief that brought Aerith here to the Harmonite enclave. And it was here that Aerith received her great boon from Sylvaril, unless we miss our mark. It should also be said that, though Cobb was indisposed currently, having the fight of his life—very literally, mind—Cat and Brixta also had something of an awakening here at the Pond of Serenity.

First, our worthy Aerith, by all accounts was approached by dwarf, whose name has been lost to the annals of time, but who served his god by being his instrument in this moment and proclaiming a champion in Aerith. Upon learning of Septur's demise, Sylvaril bestowed Aerith with a Hunt, but not just any hunt, a Hunt to catch a godkiller, and so she would be given the aid of every beast and as much of a direction, quite literally, as Sylvaril could give her.

While the name of the dwarf that uttered these words has been eroded by time, the words of his god through him have remained, much to the delight of this humble historian:
"May your steps be swift and silent, your aim true, and your heart resolute in pursuit. The forest guides your hand, the beasts honor your call."

We will leave the specifics of what this boon means and what it entails to the speculations of our most imaginative readers, for—it is the opinion of this historian—it shall all be revealed in time. Suffice it to say that at this particular moment our worthy Aerith was emboldened with a keen sense of direction with respect to a particular infamous historical figure. We can also assume, given the events that followed, that Aerith was able to tune this sense of direction to more than her ultimate quarry. Indeed, this is proven out to be true as she, from Harmonite Glade, leads the party straight to our wretched^[1] Cobb.

Next our wholesome companion, Cat, remembers his name—or, rather realizes that people haven't been calling him by his name. Folion, as we shall now call him, for that is, indeed, his name, also begins to ponder—even to reflect—upon why he was allowed to wonder off, why no one came looking for him, and lastly on where home is and how to return to it, for in this moment, Folion contracts a severe bout of homesickness. We have records that Folion was comforted by one of the Harmonites, and his friends were quick to provide what comforts they could as well.

Lastly, Brixta, having learned that offspring of gods might be possible, decides to pray. However, having never prayed before, it is the opinion of this scholar that, she prayed incorrectly. That is to say that she reached out with prayer, her mind, seeking no specific deity, and in response she garnered the attentions of something rather unknown and which had been slumbering. With this entity's attentions gained, Brixta thought it wise, then, to fan flames over the pond, much to the shock and chagrin of many patrons and Harmonites in attendance. Brixta reported later that she could sense the, "thing" she awakened was amused with her display, but could gather no other insights.

And with that all three of our worthies have had their Harmonite experiences, for better or for worse, and we shall leave which is which up to the interpretation of our perspicacious audience. Having had their experiences in the glade, however, they thought is high time to go an collect their most frog-like companion, which, we're sure our readers remember, Aerith guided them to, using her newfound boon from The Two.

Perhaps we should also say two words about Cobb's predicament, for they happen upon our dear frog as he is causing something of a scene. When last we left our frog companion, he was fighting for his life against what seemed like every crow, gull, and alley cat in the city. We have a variety of reports from across the third and second tier, of strange sightings a frog throwing fire and swarms of gulls. A demonspawn shaped like a frog that was ten feet tall and could swallow a man in one gulp. Guard reports of a dangerous animal with the ability to throw fire eluding capture. And a number of other escapades. However, it was that Cobb came to be embroiled in a standoff for his life between guards and swarm of seagulls, and one almost-lucky feline—whom we feel we must clarify that this was not Folion, but an neighborhood cat— on the corner of Turnabout Front and Retreat, in the Third Tier, it is assured that he was indeed, fighting the fight of his froggish life.

And with this scene, replete with cordoned off streets, and a company of guards to infiltrate and secure the dangerous creature before he could start a fire, and gawking crowd, that our friends are reunited.