The Tale of the Ugly Troll

[Saliarasri]

Fairioni 26/26

".. Are you a necromancer or a tinker?" Fairioni asks curiously "Because I can't remember which - and remember, knowledge isn't always a good thing. " she finishes, looking at both Aeriah and Able oddly as she looks back at the sky, seeming to relax in the light rain

"And.. I mean, for example, consider some of the spells that are used. They're evil, but it's because someone had the knowledge to make it. In and of itself, knowledge is neither dextral nor benefical. It's what's made of it - the holiest paladin can know of the devil, and the evilist blackguard can know of the ultimate Godddess. It's what's done with the information that makes you what you are, and evil or not. Actions speak louder than words, in the end."

[GameGurl25]

Jena 36/36

Jena turned to Drusalia and smiled. "I slept wonderfully last night….it was the first time in four years the nightmares did not come to me."

Pausing, Jena turned towards Aeriah and gazed gently into his eyes. When she spoke, her voice was lowered, almost a whisper, but loud enough for everyone to hear. "I believe it goes deeper than knowledge. The characteristics, the very nature of a man, elf, dwarf, whatever….is much, much more than knowledge..or memories. Yes, we learn from knowledge, our memories, and the like, but…." Jena places a hand gently over her chest before continuing. "The heart does not lie. If someone is gentle, caring, honorable, and courageous, then his deeds will not change. Just because he cannot remember what he did in the past, good or bad, does not change the shape of his heart, or the desire to be good. On the contrary…. Jena lowered her eyes briefly "…if someone is evil….that person is going to continue to be evil…whether or not he has retained his memories. An evil sorcerer may have forgotten that he slayed a town full of innocent citizens, but that evil heart, that evil blood, is still there. He’ll desire to kill and be malicious."

Tears began to form in Jena’s eyes and she quickly brushed them away, hoping nobody noticed.

Returning her gaze back to Aeriah now, Jena grinned. "Aeriah, I do not believe you are evil in any way. You are kind, generous, and gentle.” Giggling, Jena averted her attention towards Kyr. "…and there is NO way Kyr is a slave of yours….she has far too many nice clothes.”

Rising now, Jena leaned forward to check the meat. Juices oozed, squirting her hands and face. Licking them off her fingers, Jena turned towards her companions with a messy face and grinned. "Ladies and gentleman, may I present…roast boar….and it’s just right... the meat is falling off the bone!"

After eating her share, Jena headed towards the nearby creek to wash her face and hands.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Aeriah ate in silence, nodding only once to acknowledge, and indeed, appreciate the boar, savouring its taste and tender flesh. Finishing his meal, he left the other’s to theirs, Kyr obviously enjoying it – by her lack of chatter and the way she vehemently attacked it with her tiny fork and knife, gobbling it down as though she’d not eaten in a tenday or more.


Unbeknown to Aeriah, he seemed oblivious to those around him, lost deep in thought, and absently made his way to the same stream where Jena was. Blinking, he snapped back to reality as he saw her, flushed slightly and murmured, “Oh. Excuse me, my lady. I had not known you were there…” Turning to leave, Aeriah had inadvertently stuck up behind the girl, his silent footsteps being heard by no one. Just before he left, he added “Your words ring true, my lady, and yet, I cannot help but wonder… there is something within me, something deep, something dark, and I cannot place it, nor does it offer me comfort. We all have secrets, Lady Jena; I just do not know mine. And yet, the ghosts of the past still seem to haunt me…” Abruptly, he stopped, “I apologise, I did not mean to disturb you. Forgive me; I do not mean to place my burdens upon you. I shall speak of this no further.”

---
OOC: will let a bit more interaction happen and then I’ll move this story along to the next part.

[GameGurl25]

Jena turned towards Aeriah and smiled warmly. "You do not burden me. Not at all. I wish, in fact, to know about you. These things need to be expressed....in order to avoid insaniety. I know it kills you to not know who you were, or what you did, or how you lived, and I know the hardest part will come to face reality. Be strong....and I hope we can work through this thing together. You have not intruded on me. In truth....I was hoping to see you here, Aeriah..." Turning towards Aeriah slowly, Jena paused, waiting for him to respond...

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Aeriah: 29/29
The elf, paused, and looked at the girl with shrewd eyes, before asking in his soft voice, “Oh?”
His smile was warm and lit up his face, however, his glass-green eyes welcoming. Absently, the five-foot-nine elf swept his hand through his pony tail, scratching at his shaved head. Frowning slightly, he added, “This style of hair is odd to me; I do not remember why I wear it.”

His causal comment was so common-place, so easy going that any other time, it wouldn’t have been funny, but now, it seemed to be. The fine mist still sprinkled down, covering them all in a thin shroud and seemed to have no intention of letting up.

“As to working through this together… we all are; that is the purpose of a party, is it not? To place the needs of others above yourself and aid your like-minded companions, surely?”

Aeriah paused, sighing and giving the girl a chance to respond. It was clear something was still troubling him, but what it was, not even he knew.

[GameGurl25]

Jena chuckled at Aeriah’s words. “Milord, forgive me for laughing. On a more serious note, let me ask you a question. What are you feeling inside now? Perhaps if we discover your true feelings…and yes...the entire quest is to discover who we all truly are.....perhaps I am related more to this quest than I thought at first.”

[ 11-29-2004, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: GameGurl25 ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Aeriah: 29/29

“Wet.” Aeriah promptly responded, his tone dry. Then he smiled again, sighed, and added, “I don’t know what to think any more. Kyr,” the elf smiled again, his eyes filled with warmth and love for the subject he spoke of, “Says I think too much. Sometimes, I wonder if she’s right. She is of a happy, carefree nature, that one. Sometimes I almost envy her innocent bliss. To her, the world is simple and complex issues do not cloud her mind. Oh, she is intelligent enough, she just chooses not to dwell on such matters. Maybe I should follow her example.” His smile faded, “And what of you, my lady?” Then frowning he added, “Please don’t address me as a lord… for, I do not believe myself to be one.” yet, despite that, his tone and manner was well-spoken and educated. At her laughter, he smiled, his eyes warming again.

---
OOC: Clever me closed the wrong tag at the wrong point

[ 11-29-2004, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

[GameGurl25]

“Aeriah,” Jena moved a little closer to the elf, “Kyr is very happy. She doesn’t believe you are evil. If she did, then perhaps something inside her would be dark…and she wouldn’t be as friendly or outgoing. As for me, I have…certain concerns as well…” The amulet around Jena’s neck was warming her, it was glowing brightly, and she sensed Aeriah could also feel its warmness, if for no other reason than her close distance to him. “I have a dark past…one that I often wish to forget. My parents are…..well....shall we say” Jena paused, uncertain if she should continue…but she did and did not care what happened immediately afterwards or days from now. “my parents were murdered four years ago.”

[ 11-29-2004, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: GameGurl25 ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Aeriah closed his eyes in sympathy, nodded, and whispered “I know it is not much, but I offer my condolences.” Frowning slightly, he added, “So what happened? You are the last of your line? If, you don’t mind me asking of course… I too, would learn more of you, if you would permit it.” On impulse, the elf reached out and took her hand, placing one under it, and one over it, a comforting gesture, his eyes full of heart-felt sincerity.

[GameGurl25]

Jena struggled to hold back the forming tears, but to no avail.
“I have a brother…somewhere…I think. I was only fourteen years old when it happened. I had just returned from a rendezvous with some local boy.” Jena chuckled. “Yes, I was a wild child." Frowning again, Jena continued. "I didn’t see any faces of the murderers, but I know that there were at least two of them, but I wasn’t sure who it was. I had no idea who would want to hurt mommy and daddy. I guess I automatically assumed it was other humans that were evil…like bandits…or muggers or something. My older brother told me to run far, far away, I was to run toward another human village. I never made it. I ran too fast, tripped, fell, and was knocked out. To this day I am unsure how long I was unconscious. When I woke, I was surrounded by elves. I was scared…mostly because I had never seen elves…I had only heard about them in stories passed down….I suppose they pitied me…I never really knew their reason for taking me in. But, apparently I was muttering in my sleep, because they knew I sought the reason my parents were killed. I went hunting daily, and trained hard…they helped me, and cared for me…they were nice, especially the male elves….”

Jena paused, attempting to read Aeriah’s reaction. Glancing down, she smiled as she realized he was tenderly holding her hand.

OOC: edit for some grammer and tyro errors

[ 11-29-2004, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: GameGurl25 ]