[Fiverine]

Hadrian... what fresh hell is this?

The words escaped my mouth and I immediately felt a twinge of regret.  Father McIvor had sent me here, said that I'd find my destiny here.  He said that it would be selfish of both me and the village alike for me to stay in Hibernos any longer.  My mentor described a thrivin' town with a fine church of Amaunator.  Even said that a Chosen One of our faith had walked the streets here.  I did not expect this banjaxed ruin I stepped from the riverboat into.

The trip was bad enough.  The boat captain was a bit of a dosser, and found it hilarious that I expected him to know who I was.  I'm just so used to everyone knowing me.  Guess I'll have to learn a bad dose of humility quick smart.  Stepping off the boat, the sun was sickly and brown, not the glorious shining disc I know and love.  The buildings were damaged and bloodstains were on the cobbles.  Some sort of battle had taken place here recently. 

And battle came quickly t'me.  I had barely seconds to get my bearings when some creature charged across the town square at me.  Might have been a man once.  It was strong, with venom dripping from its claws... I had a fair crack at it but it knocked me down.  I figured I was dead.  But the Shining One filled me with his light, strength and fury.  I got off my coit and beat down that thing with my bare hands, then grabbed my kit and suited up for war.  I found a few more of those monsters, and dealt with them.  Saved a lass in the town square and shoved her inside to relative safety.

A fella mucked in to help me at one point.  He wore a blue surcoat, and he was a fine thing to behold I tell you.  A laird by the look of him, by the name of Nicolas Frost.  I could barely believe it when he told me that he's like me... a holy warrior of Amaunator.  An omen, surely.  The 'sunplague' creatures could not withstand our combined wrath, and the sickly aura in the sky receded.  This town has obviously suffered great darkness of late.  Time now for the first rays of dawn to kill the night. 

But I can't do it alone, or even just with Frosty.  Maybe there's something bigger here for folk like us.  Father McIvor hinted at it, but wanted me t'learn myself.  Gotta find out more... 

[Fiverine]

I was needing a helmet, and a dosser at the docks had one for sale.  It was gammy looking.  Weird shape, and only these tiny holes to see through.  Looked like a death trap in battle.  But I picked it up, and it just... intrigued me.  Putting it on felt good, so I bought the damn thing. 

Then I met some nice fellas and a hin lass.  Vydaera (terrible flirt, but a real gas man), Uldur (a paladin, but different t'me) and Ruby (so tiny I thought she was a child at first).  I showed them the helmet, and they reckoned it belonged to some order called the Swords of the Lady.  They were originally a Selunite order of knights, but have splintered and other faiths share their gaff now.  Including Amaunator!  That feeling of...certainty…I felt when I picked up that gammy helmet was becoming clear.

The three of them guided me to the "Abbey of the Moon" where these orders dwell.  We had to fight some savage things along the way... I was up for it all, huge wolves and undead.  But some "Black Arrow Bandits" gave me one hell of a touch up.  A brutal kick in the head and I was down.  Uldur reckoned I was dead and he had to raise me... and I had a weird vision while I was out.  A desolate land of grey... but I was bleedin!  You don't bleed when y'dead in limbo.  Maybe Uldur was codding me, and just healed me?  Best not to think too much about it, right?

These knights here... this is the sort of thing that Father McIvor wanted for me.  "Go to Hadrian and find your peers" he said.  I thought that was just him acting the maggot when he said that.  Cheeky bastard he is.  The people of Hibernos are my peers.  But I can't deny it feels right being in this keep.  Just have to find one of these toffs who'll actually talk t'me...

[Fiverine]

Righto, I'm in business.  Left a note for "Marshall Templar" or "Templar Marshall" Bresbane (I keep forgettin' which way round that goes) of the Order of the Everlasting Light, and he wrote me back.  I'm goin' back to the keep tonight to meet with one of his lads to talk about joining the order.

Gods, what if I make a right bags of it?  Getting so nervous.  Today a fella named Shi Lei helped me clear out a mine full of manky earth critters.  He was givin' me pointers about what I do.  After I refused to run from a big walking clump of crystal (thing was tough as all feck) he told me it's not dishonourable to retreat from a stronger opponent.  Even reckoned that Amaunator wouldn't want me being such a chancer and riskin' my neck like that. 

Father McIvor would lose his rag if he heard that one.  He used t'tell me I was the village champion, so I had to stand and fight whatever the odds and never abandon anyone, *ever*.    Shi was still fightin' the thing, so I couldn't leave him.  But the father told me that when all I was fightin' was goblins... nothin' like what I'm doing around Hadrian. 

But while Shi and I were talking about it all my skin started to glow.  Like my hair, but all over.  And I felt stronger and more confident than I've ever felt.  It's never happened t'me before… was this a sign I was doing the right thing?  Or that I'm making such a complete haymes of things Amaunator himself has to prop me up?  Will an order of elite knights even want a culchie like me around?  Guess I'll be finding out soon...

Maybe these Knights can help me set these things straight in m'head if nothing else.   

[Fiverine]

One o' the Knights Errant set me a task to prove I was worthy to be a squire.  I was expecting it to be something like "kill 150 orcs" but it was more a test of m'wisdom, which was a pleasant surprise.  I spent the next day having a lash at finding some things for it, and got most of it.  But I was struggling with one last part.

Then I met a lovely lass named Yew in Hadrian.  She wants to join the Knights too!  And she's wise as feck.  Yew gave me some inspiration and I figured out what the last thing I needed had to be.  I'm hoping she gets taken in as a squire too, that would be grand.  She tol' me she grew up in the wilds and found it hard to settle into a city, and that people remember what she used t'be like.  First impressions, and all that.  She made a good one on me, but.

I don't feel all that comfortable in Hadrian m'self.  The Church is the only place I really feel at ease.  I saw a dosser walking around town with a bone hand and people seemed t'think it was normal.  He looked to be a cute hoor and I bet he's up to no good. 

But none o' that matters right now.  I passed the test!  I've become a squire, donned the armour and surcoat and can start learning how to be a knight.  Maybe they can help me stop throwing shapes all the time.  That nearly got me killed a few times today.  The squire armour looks good, but more importantly it feels right.  This is what Father McIvor wanted for me.  I was angry at the oul' boy when he asked me to leave Hibernos, but I can see why he done it now.  He'd be so proud, and I'm only gettin' started! 

[Fiverine]

Been bustin' my hump helping local folk with their problems.  The ones that need an aspirin' knight, I mean.  Missing children, missing pumpkins (even sillier than it sounds!), restless dead. I did a few nixers with Yew, and we work really well together.  Lawdy I hope she ends up joinin'.  Will be good to have a friend right there in the keep.

Did another job with Uldur in the Wonbrie Woods.  We helped this lovely elf lass named Mirwen get some moss to make a salve for her peepers.  She'd been blinded by some feckin' elf-haters.  She reckoned they were long dead and gone, otherwise I'd be smiting them somethin' brutal.  I was happy t'help her out at least.  Though she wanted t'kiss me afterwards... not sure if she was just codding me or what. 

Supposedly I'm gettin' assigned to a knight soon?  I haven't the faintest which one o'them it will be.  I asked Squire Jason what the craic was, and he reckoned it would be either Sir Arthur or Sir Koirid Koisrid... Koi somethin'.  Jason seemed to think me pairing up with this Sir Koi boyo was a real gas for some reason.  Guess we'll see what we'll see. 

[Fiverine]

Well, I got to meet both Sir Arthur and Sir Koi.  Had my chance to get throwin' shapes and impress them, right?  Didn't happen.  I made a complete haymes of it. 

Some hill giants were tossin' rocks down on Hadrian, so a bunch of us rushed up there to stop them.  I charged a really big one, he was wavin' his hands and talking gibberish... next thing I know I'm fallin' to my knees in the Arcanist Guild of Hadrian.  I'd been turned to stone and missed the whole damned show!  They'd had to lug me back to town to get me fixed.  I must have looked a complete eejit to the knights.  They're callin' me 'Stony' now...

We went to the Keep after that holy show, and Mirwen came with us.  She's got her sight back, and tol' Dame Gabrielle that I'd helped her.  Awfully decent of her, I felt less of a dosser when she said that.  I'd found some nice kit Mirwen could use so gave her those too.  I reckon she'll make good use o'them. 

Turns out that Koi is the knight I'm bein' assigned to.  He's a half-dragon of all things, and seems t'be quite a gas man.  Sir Arthur is exactly what y'think of when you imagine a knight- blonde, polite, handsome, impossibly charmin'.  They both tried to cheer me up, Sir Arthur said I was killin' bandits well enough on the journey back and Koi said it was bold to charge the biggest giant like I did.  Helped a bit, but still not feelin' my best.  New dawn tomorrow, but. 

[Fiverine]

Some mist came boiling out of the sewers and docks in Hadrian today, and a bizarre host o' undead came out.  Zombie fishmen, skeleton pirates.  Was far beyond what the town guard could cope with so me an' some other adventurers helped defend the place.  Several of us stepped into a patch of this mist and got whisked away to the Patrician Peaks.  Was a fair hike back, and we had t'kill a few wyverns along the way.  Nasty things...

As I was marchin' back, I heard a proclamation for me from Arariel.  She's a really tall lass with big golden wings.  Half archon I'm told.  Turns out she's thinkin' of joining the Swords.  I told her what I could about the Achanatyrian Order at the keep.  She saw my hair, and reckoned she could help me figure out what my ancestor was like.  I don't know quite how she done it, but she imparted a little of her purer divine power in t'me to boost mine temporarily.  It felt amazin'.  I was tingling all over, and my skin started glowin' like my hair.  Ara said my eyes changed colour too.  Faded fast but.  She calls me 'Sunspot'.  I like that a feckload more than 'Stony'. 

Ara pulled out a book and pointed out an 'astral deva' and said it was likely one of them who knocked up my great-great-great-great-grandma.  Looked and sounded about right from the little Father McIvor told me.  He never wanted t'tell me too much, "in case you get a swell head" as he put it. 

Ara said this sort of makes her and I distant kin, and that sorta felt right t'me deep down.  I never really had a proper family.  Ma and da handed to me to the church and asked Father McIvor to raise me.  I still saw them and my brothers 'round, but I didn't live with them or spend more time with them than I did anyone else.  This is a good feeling I have right now and I think we can do some good work together, especially if Ara becomes a Sword. 

[Fiverine]

Been busy huntin' bandits and orcs the past few days.  Found a big nest o' orcs near Nualla'n.  Their topman was particularly ferocious.  Was a tough fight on m'own, but I smote him down in the end.  Some of the tips Sir Koi told me helped a bit when I was fightin' through the big orc's lackeys.  Also went on a long patrol for bandits, and took care o' two dozen of the feckers.  They don't like it so much when someone preys on them. 

Also went on a big outing with some local adventurers.  Ash Aardyn was the topman, took a bunch o' us out huntin' orcs.  I heard his call and thought I should join in and keep improvin' my orc hunting skills.  There was also Ruby, Shi Lei, Sherina and m'mate Arariel.  We took the boat down t'Southbank and headed to the orc hills from there.  Ash can handle even the biggest orcs himself, and the rest of our crew were no dossers either. 

Wasn't perfect though.  Something... unsettlin'... happened on the boat trip.  I had to let it slide this time, but can't ever be doin' that again.  That might cost me some help on the bandit thing... but this is the way, this is the Law. 

[Fiverine]

I try to keep the goblin numbers in the old mine down, but they been gettin' busy with the lovin' and breedin' it seems.  A whole pack of them burst out of the mines and started torchin' the farms.  A lot o' us were quickly to hand to drive them back into the mines and finish 'em off.  Several of the others went marching off north to find more goblins, but I thought better of that.  Wasn't the job, it was the company. 

This fella Fjord visited the Keep.  Dame Averil talks 'bout him a bit, and I thought there might be something going on there, but no.  His mot is some lass named Morgaine and he talks about her non-stop.  But he took me out on a training run to take on some Drow.  I'd never fought 'em before so that was a grand little outing and I learned a lot.  Got a special job we Swords will be doin' with this Fjord, so I was happy to see he's a deadly good warrior. 

But best of all... he saw Sir Koi get put on his coit once and tol' me the WHOLE STORY.  Can't wait to slag the winged chancer about this!

 

[Fiverine]

I've settled into a groove now.  Listen for trouble, join up with a group headin' out to do something about it.  Trouble is never far away in this place.

Looks like I'm an "only child" again.  Ara don't want me callin' her "sis" anymore.  The Swords had t'take a stand' on somethin'.  She told me I only care about "the letter of the law".  But I'm a paladin of Amaunator… I live to enact His will.  The letter o' the law is what I 'ave to care about.  I don't like t'upset people, and 'specially not Ara.  She gave me a glimpse of m'heritage, and I love her for that.  But this is the Way, this is the Law. 

Father McIvor did warn me it would be like this.  "You're a sweet girl, Nessie.  Everyone here likes ya.  But it's not gonna be like that in Hadrian".  If nothin' else, I think I got some respect from Sir Koi.  Like gettin' blood from a stone. 

[Fiverine]

I finally took m'trials to become a knight errant o' the Swords, under the watch o' Sir Koi.  My first test was t'act as a judge in two cases o' murder which were delegated to us from the Church o' Amaunator.  I thought long an' hard about my decisions.  I wasn't just answerin' to Amaunator anymore, I had t'consider all the patrons o' the Guiding Hand.  Also what people like Ara have said t'me about the spirit o' the law.  I did what was just and wise, but tried to be as legal as possible.  Wasn't easy... I could almost feel Amaunator himself glaring at me, and I know I must atone in some way f'that.  Going t'be hard to enact His Will while still respectin' the other gods of the Hand.

Still, I was happy with my verdicts, but some o' the Hadrianites weren't.  Seems that murder and torture isn't a big deal to these folk, and Boney J himself stepped in to spirit away the convicted man.  He cast some Big Hand spell on me after the Potentate demanded we all stand down, so Boney J has been excommunicated from the Church of Amaunator.  Not that it matters to an arcanist.  Bet he's still off whinin' to his guild as I write this, but.  Koi healed me until Belorfin arrived to dispel the big hand crushin' the life out o' me. 

I saw Boney J's mot smilin' at him later like he was a gods blessed saint for covering for a murderer and assaulting someone in a church.  I understood then why Father McIvor told me it was selfish for me t'stay in Hibernos any longer.  The people there are good, they obey the law at all times and not just when it's convenient or helpful, and they find evil repulsive.  It was like that b'fore I was born, and likely always will be.  But in Hadrian... they apologise for evil, collaborate with it, then seem profoundly shocked when they face consequences for what they've done.  They're feckin' deluded.

The second part o' my trial was checkin' out a fort that was overrun by frost giants.  Sir Koi led us there, along with Oscar, a half-dragon named Wul, a hin lass named Marlee, and m'boyo Shi Lei.  And I'd been worryin' no one would be wantin' to help me after that Church fiasco!  We got the job done, and slew all the big frosties that got in our way.  We hurried back to Moon Glow Keep then for my judgement.  I was worryin' the whole trip back that the mess at the church might 'ave banjaxed my chances. 

But no... in fact, Sir Koi seemed proud of what I did, and he gave me a grand reference o' character (though he still insists on callin' me "Stoney").  I've been made a knight errant now, the next step in m'path to knighthood.  Father McIvor would be so proud o' me.  "Go be a knight Nessie.  That's what you've always wanted, so go get it lass" he said.  I could 'ave been a Sun Lady at his church if I'd wanted, but p'haps I can still find a way to preach the Way and the Law within the Swords.  But my first task as an errant will be assistin' Wul in his desire to join the Swords...

[Fiverine]

a full three pages have been written in, crossed out and corrected so much that they are an unreadable mess.  A few just barely legible keywords seem to appear a few times: Arariel, Swords, dead, Shi Lei, Amaunator, Wul, honour

[Fiverine]

I'm not writin' any more about that.  I can't.  Too painful, and I keep feckin' it up anyway.  All that matters is that's been ended, like she would 'ave wanted, and no one else had t'die. 

Sir Arthur has been given some secret orders and transferred elsewhere.  Not sure what that's 'bout.  But he was our representative on the Hadrian council.  Several o' us were summoned to the hall t'discuss who would replace him.  They asked Koi to do it first... but I'm NOT writin' down what he said in response.  A clear "nay", that's for certain.  Wul didn't feel anywhere near ready, jus' bein' a new squire, and the rest of 'em all muttered they were "too busy". 

They all started starin' at me.  I was 'bout to blurt out that a culchie lass like me knows nothin' about government, but I caught oul' Bresbane givin' me a look.  I know that look.  Same bloody look Father McIvor used t'give me.  So now I'm a councillor, talking and writing to other councillors and the mayor, most o' whom I'm quite certain can't stand me or the Swords.   

I can handle that, but.  More worried 'bout getting some good sleep lately.  I keep having these bad dreams... no, not dreams... just the same one bad dream.  Full o' symbols.  Grey.  Restraints.  Nothing resembling solid ground.  And her.  It's horrible.  I don't know what the craic is other than these aren't ordinary bad dreams.  A warning?  My future?  A plea?  A test?  Somethin's coming, I can feel it. 

[Fiverine]

Koi is dead.  Wul is gone.  Just me an' Warden Kyra in the Chapter House.  She's been barkin' out orders, giving me things t'do, because she knows I'll break down if I get a moment t'think. 

We reclaimed another o' the Giantsbane artifacts.  This was somethin' important to Koi.  But I was just goin' through the motions like a golem, not feeling anythin'.  A slaad: kill it.  Silvia is sick: cure her.  Arcanist is hurt: heal him.  A beholder: get away. 

Still havin' that nightmare about Ara.  I wonder if tonight... will Koi be in it too now?

[Fiverine]

I've been patchin' things back together as best I can.  I'm the most visible Sword in Hadrian, so have been lookin' and calling for new recruits.  Found a few prospects.  Wul suddenly returned from leave too, and jumped right back in t'the fray.   

I actually found a new recruit.  There's been this pretty half-elf lass staying in the Harvest Moon charity house lately.  Most of the poor souls just get a meal, have a kip, then bunk off.  We often never see 'em again.  But this lass Teuivae stuck around, and actually got t'helping us, sweeping the floors, ladling out soup and so on.  I spotted her practicing swordplay a few times when the place was quiet, and could tell she knew what she was doin'.

She'd mentioned bein' a Selunite and was obviously devout, so I took her to the Abbey o' the Moon.  I swear upon the Golden God, when Teuviae looked upon the Statue of Selune she sparkled with some white, silvery light.  I took it as a sign, and gave her the squire's test. Her results were very good... so we've taken her in.  She's good with a sword, but it's her insight that's been impressin' me most.

Both our recent squires seem t'get along well and have their own virtues.  Wulvarax is zealous, confident and proactive.  Teuivae is thoughtful, humble and kind.  They both have the makings of good knights, in their own unique ways.  At least... I think so.  Still not quite a knight m'self, after all.