Time Forward of Peace (#00-5)

    Helo, everyone.

    Happy 2010! I wish you all a year to be full of Surprise, Success and a Next New Year.

    Not all times reserve a bad omen to people. Sometimes, we can have time to think, and decide wherever our priorities lay, or the needs of change. This is a Time when the Characters, not exactly heroes, but that's for another time, had the chance to choose what to do during five months of peace, granted by the Dreammaker entity of Dream, the neutral entity who gathered the Stolen Dreams' group. Not everything's fine. And not everyone is ready to do what the world needs to be done.

    First, I want to thank the players, and then the list of Characters.

    Characters:

    Daytel, Toriàn Naraleiva Priatel'sa Drazci, ejik noble, alchemist, mage, and also elementalist; Flausin, goblin psionic, usually work as protector of goblin caravans in the area of Wastes; Tacke Prýmmus, half-siddha mage, religion master, professor for the Academy of Magic, Politics and Power; Hadesh, takkar beast, a medic and warrior, now Prymmus' disciple, but not linked to the Academy; Karistalla, Lena Báech, ejik princess, rogue, heir of the Báech Kingdom, at the Nine Realms empire; Báech the Djine, djine from ejik heritage, (who knows what more?), as he carries the same name as Lena of Báech Kingdom.

    I welcome you to read this brief resume.

    (Daytel)

    Daytel, the name the noble Priatel assumes, is very interested into the gills he gained in contact with the Ancient Elemental Water. As 602 goes on, it becomes more and more clear that it's a thing he must understand by himself, so he calls his cousin Ruddyn to talk. The talk was very long. Ruddyn wanted to know what is happening. Toriàn, in the confidence of the Dreammaker, decides the entity didn't asked for silence. At least, he's a noble ejik. This grants him the decisions about people's lives and destiny, but he hates politics.

    - You're telling me, Toriàn, that this entity's asking you to save other empire's future leaders? That's a chance to make war and win with no resistance! That's great.
    - No, Ruddyn. I want to think before taking this type of action.
    - You're to noble, my cousin. And that explains why you hate politics.
    - You're a mage, Ruddyn, and so a noble too.
    - No, my cousin. I'm a warrior before I am a mage. And the way of the warrior is the way to victory. There's only you and your cause.
    - You'll say I like too much my books.
    - No, I won't. I've already said that, and you remember, don't you? You are already a hero, Toriàn, because I'm not sure I'd pass the rituals of Shadeza as you did. You're a warrior, too. See?
    - You speak as your loved Raýla - concludes Toriàn.
    - She's past, my cousin. She's a,... she's too old for me. No, no! Wait. I know what you're gonne say. She's a heir princess to an empire. So what? I go and stay with her, to be a second for ever? She's dead, you know. Her skin is so cold as ice, and I'd give her a halfblood as a heir. The emperor would hate me for doing that. No. I've written that on sand, Toriàn. And you? I think you're not on your mind to be sack on this castle forever, forget your companions, and give your life for the world.
    - You don't understand the noblety of saving other empires, and,..
    - No, no. Sorry. I can understand that. (Ruddyn waves his hands, asking for pacience). There are many ways to be remembered for ever. I'm just saying this is not for me. You're a noble mage, so you should do what you wish, but remember taking part on this may put our family in danger.
    - I won't. The Dreammaker's said he'll protect my family. And all entities need him, as he's the only neutral entity, so this means a lot.
    - Greed, my cousin. Envy. Put yourself on the way of a woman, and she'll teach you your place. Our right to ruledoms would be in danger if our founder had not been a woman. But I've not came here to give you wisdom, for that you seem to still have. The Nothingness is vibrating, Toriàn. That,... means, indeed, that something's going on this damned world. I've came to say you this.
    - What did you got on the Astral plane? - Toriàn's voice was worried.
    - Psychothropodes, everywhere - resumes Ruddyn.
    - And?
    - You should walk the Veil with me. This means bad, bad things.
    - I should help the Dreammaker.
    - I won't blame you for that. I'll need to talk with the barbarians, to grant us warriors allies, if you don't mind.
    - Wait. I'm not the only one to decide. We're a group.
    - Yeah, 've heard. Oke. Don't forget we're together, my cousin.
    - You have your group, Ruddyn,..
    - Iluetva protect us! That's not what I'm talking about. Our family, Toriàn. Yes, I have a group. My fellows. Latva's the best specialist in nature in the world, but I'm talking about more. You've said to me I'd better unite with the vampire princess, and I'll tell you to stay with your family.
    - You're talking about my parents missing.
    - Yeah, yeah,.. That too. I've just came back from the Astral, again. Unfortunately, there's no trace of your parents,... I'm sorry. Now, I've got to get back to the borders. A new pilgrim's caravan is coming tomorrow, and I'll need to grant there's no thief hiding amongst 'em.
    - Where's going to be the camp?
    - At Antonidia's. Don't worry. They're going the North Temple, and I'll have news from the east. If you're so deep concerned, causin,... Do it. We're not to live for ever.
    - Thank you, Ruddyn.
    - Yours, my cousin.

    And that talk stays on Daytel's mind for the rest of the time the Dreammaker's given him to think.

    The rest of the time, he studies maps, old maps. All those notations his father's left behind. All without a lone explanation on what was that.

    By the end of the Great War, 602 years before, the world was a mess.

    He went to the Ancient Water.

    - Greetings, Ancient Water.
    - What is the meaning of our contact? - asks the elemental.
    - That,... (a Water elemental should be less direct, but that put Daytel in alert),.. You have challenged me.
    - What for, elementalist? We Water goes many places, everywhere.
    - I think,.. I'll have to understand that.
    - Then I'll have you the first challenge, now.

    And the small lake surprised Daytel, so when he noticed, he's under water. His ability to make magic would save him, but if he had time to think. He started to drown, and so, was out on air and breathing again, this all happened in no more than a normeasure of time, and he stops, thinking what's just happened.

    - Are you challenging me?
    - No, elementalist - says the elemental - I've just given you time to think. You'll understand how we Water see the world, and if you decide so, we'll challenge one day. Now, go.
    - I see,...
    - Life. You have a gift, eyes of the ancients, now. This is not permanent, but you'll have to decide, if you'll be the elementalist you dream of, or to be an alchemist. Both, you cannot be. You have one year. Come back, with your emotions, when you find them again.
    - You're huge - he swallows.
    - Go.

    Toriàn senses the Ancient Elemental will do it again, one day. When he was back home, at his castle, he saw his eyes, and they're made of water.

    The rest of those months, he passes comparing elementalist secrets, and alchemy.

    (Flausin)

    The bogling Flausin had made his way to fame.

    His village starts to commerce with two other villages, and that to another three. Wèneg prelate is now a growing path from the desert of northeast and the black east through the mountains which circles the Nine Realms, and they know how to make a big deal of business.

    - We should sell them what they want - says a gadgeteer, at the Assembly - Flausin's madeus rich.
    - Don't go to the pot, mates. Ejiks aren't interested in our gadgets. You know that, Binti. I say we sell them black east stones of power. And to sell back ora to the east.
    - Flausin, you're a genious.
    - I'm not, Bukus. I know a djine, now. They're much more like us, and the opposite at the same time. Maybe more dangerous that a dactyl - Flausin's had made them reconsider, as all boglings hate dactyls, they fly, and they come out o' nowhere and try to take their children to eat.
    - Then we must make a huge breeding of wardogs, and control the mountains - says a blind bogling, older - That's the only way to fight the dactyls.
    - It's not, Mogbin. Wardogs don't fly - concludes a younger bogling.
    - Let's make 'em fly, huh?

    And those discussions took a month.

    The fact is that Wèneg prelate has become important, soon. As none other race shows any interest in bogling gadgeteering, they started to sell what they wanted. Stones of Power from the east to the west, and food, wine and clothes from the west to the east. Soon, barbarians started to round the area. With contact between various villages, Wèneg prelate - and Flausin - manned to convince the other villages that they should go air.

    Barbarians show much less interest for other people than they do to sand. This way, the simple promise to stay out of their desert was enough to be safe.

    A strange traveller from the east, a black man with dreads, a stonecaster Flausin talked to says the Order of Light knows the boglings are now trying to make commerce. He said to the bogling to stay away from the Cursed Lake, for that is something to forget. The intelligent psychic thought he'd ask the Dreammaker what's all that about, much later, when the chance comes.

    The most important gadgeteer, from Knockturn prelate, almost a prince to his people, presented Flausin with a valueable bottle of blackberry alchoholic brew - it's a bottle whose drink never ends.

    Flausin have had two more children.

    It doesn't matter, because all children are the village's, not his alone, but his thoughts were into the missions the groups started and are now to think about.

    First, he went to the Tottem of Beetle, which didn't say anything.

    Then to the Tottem of the Snake.

    - You haave to,.. sSss,.. (hissed her),.. sstay withh 'em,.. Uuse the thingss you gain to sstay withh you people, Flauss,..
    - This means I'll have problems, Snake. Those people are too powerful, and you know, ejik are all about that, they use power to be superior. What,..
    - Sstay withh 'em.
    - So, Efemmera's got to protect me. And the Cursed Lake? What should we do 'bout that?
    - Sstay away from thhhhe Lake,.. sSs,...
    - You too? (he sighed). Thanks.

    By the time he needed to get to the Priatel's he had manned to have a new wristclock, a better lockpick equip, and other things children got to them to play underground. The flyby mechanics were on the basics yet, but the bogling dreams on flying were not diminished.

    Then, he headed to the Priatel ruledom, flying with telekineses.

    (Tacke Prýmmus, Hadesh and Lena)

    Professor Prýmmus invited Hadesh and Lena to stay his home.

    The first weeks were difficult to them. While Hadesh was used to the wild, and to be on himself all the time, the princess disguised as a traveller, Karistalla (secretly, a rogue), they both were not used to the ejik status of the so important Royal Tachiza empire.

    Most population in Ryklant are called popular, and servants, while people of power, those who study magic, a huge number of monks who travel the empire serving the royal and populars alike, a small number of psychic, those who understand planar travel, wizards, sorcerers and mages, and also a huge number of soldiers who are all used to the important stones of power, imported from the black east. They're all nobles, and the populars are most of the time, servants and workers.

    By night, Lena goes out and investigates the city, now Slash had give her new equipment.

    During the first month, Hadesh learnt the basics on magic, but his abilities as a warrior and, specially, a beast, were all the time negating those strange effects.

    Magic is not a simple slap of fingers.

    In exchange for the magic training, Professor Prýmmus asks the takkar to say things in snakelang, a lost secret he's interested in. The takkar's one of the very few people known to understand that afar from snakes and creatures from the deep astral, or the Shadow plane. That's a treasure. Hadesh, by his side, was intensely trying to not negate those magic effects, while trying to perform 'em.

    By the end of the first month, Hadesh and Lena got together to talk.

    The rogue princess is convinced people share a feeling of devotion to their masters, people of power, which is indeed very similar to the weird magic back on her kingdom, Báech. She says to the takkar that she listened to a few small and shy show offs of that strange fear and devotion. He tries not to contradict her. She's an ejik too. He knows his ideas are not everytime welcome by ejiks.

    Tacke's children were very happy to have more life home. The twins became friends with Lena first sight, but the older daughter stay with Hadesh in most discussions.

    Hadesh learnt the mage has to go teaching every thrusday morning, and he gives lessons on old myths and legends on saturday afternoon. He never speaks about work at home. His wife, an adorable and beautiful woman, is also a mage, and also an elite mage with honours, formed at the same year on the Academy as Tacke.

    Actually, Tacke Prýmmus and Jael Trobara started their love as young apprentices, both espectacular and ingenious elite students, at the Academy.

    The Trobara family is well known for having magic blood for centuries, and all their children are gifted with inborn talent to magic practice.

    Hadesh started to understand one spell, Straeto, which fabricates clothes from a piece of cloth, or make repair on bags and pants. He is a monk, so everything he learns must be use to the population. This is a tradition. He passes then most of the time by the entrance door of Tacke's house, a huge house on the northside of the bridge, and near the Ayya's Daughter Square, which has a statue from the Duchess. Soon, many populars started to come with old clothes to get them reformed.

    But well, during the night, the takkar's time was distinct from what the populars would think.

    He senses his abilities as a beast were changing.

    First, his senses of time were completely dsitorting what people were saying. Then, a sense that time was just slow than normal dominates him. He then started to slow down time by his own perception, and started to study negating those magic spells with might, or negating nature. He walks on the walls, starting to see people's aura, or objects and utensil's energies, together with a sense of pertaining unnatural to him. He's a takkar. He doesn't belongs to these ejik people, but he senses their feelings of fear and devotion. He prays to his Godess, the dragon's pcinciple of peace and magic, feeling his magic comes from Her.

    Hadesh was also teaching Tacke and Lena to use a whip, and moves on an instance of combat. The young half-siddha was not used to it, but for his surprise, Lena knows all the principles behind the combat, together with the wit necessary to escape most trickery.

    They both learnt from the Professor that Time is the most important Taboo of magic. It's the thing you must not deal with, unless it's only lore. Tacke explains the takkar deals with time in a completely different way, and had not understood it yet.

    Tacke was frequently going to a library, by the Daughter Square. The librarian's an old friend, it looks like to Hadesh and Lena, and when Tacke and his wife have things to do, and Hadesh has additional training, the man stay with their children, and they come back amazed. It's a magic library. Magic books from up to down, and there's a huge man they say he can cast every spell on Toj, which would be pretty much a story he tells the children. So, the night comes and the rogue princess open her window, walk the walls, and let the children sleep, while she investigates this strange tachee major city.

    When it was only a month to the meeting, Tacke had a meeting with his family, and that did not included his wellcomed visits.

    Four hours later, they came out of that office.

    Tacke then explained he told his family all he knew, the whole meaning of that dangerous actions, the needs of someone to do those missions of recovery.

    - That's noble of you, Professor.
    - He's only doing it straight, Le-... Karistalla - says Hadesh.
    - I'm only doing it because the Dreammaker granted my family will be under his protection. Don't think I'm doing it for the noblety of the action. I have decided.
    - I have not, yet, Professor - says Lena.
    - That, Karistalla, that we'll have to gather with everyone to decide - concludes Tacke - That's wise of you not having decided yet.

    Then, the preparation to the travel started.

    A charriot, with a real four front leg horse, a black one, and food, and money to their needs. All that was prepared by Professor Prýmmus' servants. In a week or so, it was all done. Hadesh says he's going flying, but Tacke thinks it's dangerous, and he must not do it during daylight. Tacke was going to guide, and Lena by his side. All other things, every bag and equipements he planned to take to Toriàn's castle, were inside the charriot, together with a map the Professor draw about what's happening.

    Tacke remembered a very important noble of Ayya Peninsula was ressurrected, with Efemmera's permission, and he has invited the group to his fortress on the arid lands of Ayya. The group didn't know yet. He tried to say, but those missions are always on the way.

    It's a two week travel, so they go up the charriot.

    Tacke kisses Jael ("In public", thinks the rogue princess), and they depart.

    (Lena)

    During these months, karistalla trained her skills as rogue, following people without notice, entering and spying houses, avoiding magic protections, alarms, and every skill necessary to be a better rogue and help her fellow group, but her mind was ensewhere.

    Her people are in exile, under the care of her takkar friend's tribe. The tribe doesn't know he's done it, but he knows what to say to keep them well.

    She trains her abilities to the maximum, thinking of her people.

    Who are those people?

    They confined her father, in an invisible cage. Controlled her thoughts and desires. The book they took from the white tower, on her castle, it's a grimiore. A dangerous magic works on Nine Realms, and she's only alive because this group had set her free.

    During the whole five months, she dreams.

    She meets the Dreammaker.

    He's the best storyteller that ever existed, and tells her stories about old myths, the people who order things on her kingdom, dragons, faeries and people who killed legendary creatures. They all did what they did forced by the situation, not by heart. They became heroes, yes. But the fears they confronted were their own. The monsters of this age are more people than monsters. By the time people of power gained political power to confront the prelates, that is, the demonic forces of Trisebus, creatures are now confined to the Astral and other planes, but the dreams have monsters weirdy worse than monsters.

    They're people.

    (Báech The Djine)

    The first month on Principia, or Prislýpea, the djine capital, was full of life. Life, and strange encounters, people usually are so happy. The djine empire's the richest empire at Toj, with thousand of palaces, huge houses, ielfantings everywhere - a huge beast used as mount, with flying rocks over huge trade squares, and countryside is full of parties with people dressed in white clothes, turbans, and this is an empire very fond of Stones of Power, which come from the north empire of stonecasters, through the west ocean, Footlants on the middle way north.

    It was second month when the first invocation happened.

    A small jar, closed with djine power, was standing in the table. A table with pork and some cups made of wood, on the right side.

    - I, miss Limstbarwèn, (she frictions the jar), call you, djine Báech, to do my bindings.

    With this, she opened the jar.

    - Wait, Kwòe, I sense someone's calling. I be back soon. Bye.

    Báech vanished, and appeared in a wooden house.

    - Your wish is a command, lady - he says.
    - Oh! (she jumped out off the chair). I thought you'd come from the jar...
    - Wè,... That's a pure legend. What do you want from me, lady? - says the djine.
    - I want to find my father - says an average woman, maybe 23.
    - I'm sorry, but that's knowledge. I can't do anything.
    - You don't understand. (she was almost crying). They took my father. They're goin' 'o kill 'im.
    - Who did it, lady? Maybe there something I can do, after all - he smiles.
    - The priests - her eyes were wet - You gott a save him. (pause). Please.
    - Now that's a magical word. What priests, you say?
    - There's a huge city, between the mountains of Mòr and the sea that leads to djinelant. It's name's Tol. It's the center o' this empire. My father's a good man. He's a shaman! Do you understand?
    - O' course I do, my lady, but let's go business, here. What do you want? I need a real wish to make a real thing, unless you're paying for it.
    - We have gold. We have gold. Take it. It's yours - her despair's absolute.
    - I sense you've kept hidden your love for the soldier from him. You're a nice woman, but you could do harm people if their evil. You fear to become the face of vengeance, if your father dies. You're right.

    She swallowed, at the real sight of a true djine.

    - I'll help you - were the djine words.

    She got paralyzed, in a moment, but the she listened.

    - Will,... will you help me?
    - O' course! You just need to find a person to die in your father's place.
    - Wha,... What do you mean?
    - I cannot change the course of history. You find someone to die for your father and I'll put him in his place, that's simple and easy.
    - I,.. do you,... I can't do that.
    - Then, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do - the djine says, firmly.
    - I,..... can you wait? Can I talk to Dòerlec?
    - Is it the name of the soldier? Or is it a child? A God, maybe,...
    - It's the soldier - says her, waiting.
    - O' course. Do you have something to drink, in here?
    - Take anything you want. I'll be back.
    - O' course you will. Oah! A bottle of flowerwine, 516, a rare one,...
    - It's yours, if you halpe us - says the woman in tears.
    - Us? There's more of you in here?
    - I'll be back - and she runned through the door.

    Báech took a simple Footlantas wine, made of groundgrape, and waited for an hour. Then, he listens to someone talking in the front door, a poor door, but honourable. There's a feather on the door, from the giant birds which lives on the top of mountains, a rare bird named Fàt, and those who get a feather are called champions.

    The woman enters the room, and there's a soldier with her.

    - Djine,....
    - I sense you're all too confuse. Let me tell you some things, nice people. The world is rotten. Your sacrifice, young Dorlòc, isn't going to make sense, and it worth nothing. You, lady. Your father's an old man, and he's going to die soon or later. Are you sure you want to do such a thing, so unsensing?
    - What options do we have, djine? - asked the soldier.
    - Now, that's a voice of a man! You're one of mine, I bet. Stay and fight! That's what a djine would do.
    - I,... (the soldier almost lost his voice),.. they're everywhere, djine. Can't you help us?
    - We djines only do change, actually an exchange. Our wishes don't change the world, unless there's some sacrifice and people pay the correct price for that they wish, and that's rare, believe me.
    - We have done our decision, djine - says the soldier lover.
    - You're doing something very stupid, mal-èc - comment the djine.
    - Will you do it, or not? Do it.
    - Before you change your mind, I understand. Are you sure?
    - Yes - he says, and look his future won't be wife.
    - I'll give you two a last kiss-time, won't you? I'll pretend I'm not here - and the djine turns the other side, to drink some more from his cup.

    Moments later, he listen to their voice.

    - Do it, djine - says the man, and then he's not there, anymore.

    A harmed old man, now free from the chains, appear on the floor, and he look his own house as the last place on the world he could ever expect.

    The old shaman sits, and look his daughter, in tears.

    - Father? You're alive - she cries.
    - Páelke, my daughter,... What have you done? - the shaman looks to the djine.
    - I've save you, father. Dòerlec had change place with you - says her.
    - You're mad, Páelke. Mad! I had to die! What have you done? In the name of the stars, what have you done? Why I have a djine in my house?
    - Dòerlec,...
    - I see what you have done. You convinced him to die in my place. That was, (the old man stand up, as the young man he once was), the most stupid thing I ever heard.
    - But, father,... you're alive..
    - And you're a brinde of life, now. You stupid woman.
    - Father,... - she knelt on the floor, crying.
    - You get out off of my house, and you never come back.
    - Father?,.... please...
    - Get out!

    The old shaman turned the other side, and got to his bedroom to sleep, or think about what to do now he's not doing to die anymore.

    Minutes passed, and the djine was there, djinking his cup of wine.

    Suddenly, the woman got to her feet, to go.

    - If you allow me to say, lady - the djine says - You're going to be the most powerful shaman of all times, more than the old legend which lives at the north, the member of the Saint Group.
    - Are you an oracle? - she was hopeful, in tears.
    - No, lady - he concludes - But you better be, now you and your father are protected by The Neautral. It's the force, the universal force behind the Balance. It's said the dragon who discovered this was transformed, so totally, that he became the God of the gods. So, you'd better be the most powerful shaman of all times, or your sacrifice would not worth the difficult decision you had taken today.

    The woman stays there, in silence.

    - I have to go, and,... I'll take the jar to another place. People need wishes, everywhere.

    And so, he simply vanished.

    Báech came back in time to drink with his friends.

    - What was it, Báech? Did you got the wish? - asked the bigger Bòet.
    - O' course, Bòet. This was a very usual wishmaking, though. What were you saying, about the snake on the lake, when I'd had to get to work?
    - It was Kwòe, you damn memory abyss! - and they all laughed.

    Weeks passed, months, and much more djines were going the Trappke empire.

    From all places, this was the real wichmaking realm of the moment.

    Five months later, Báech remembered to go Priatel'sa. it was not him, and in fact a new Stone of Power, on his new turban, which remembers him from what he's forgoten, so he headed the noble ruledom.

    (End of Time Forward of Peace)

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