Cayzle's Wemic Site
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Aftermath of Domi’s Death
Deep Darkness has covered the Wold since Domi died, and without the sun or stars to mark the passing of moments, who knows how long it has been since nightfall? To the Chosen, the labors of the night have seemed endless. Madness, blood, and grief have followed Domi's passing like blinding rain after a typhoon. Battling foes and fears, death and doubt, the Taurs are leaden with sorrow.
But after rest, dawn arrives. In the infirmary set up in the Parade Grounds of Hearthold Keep, first there is a Light, and then Sunrise! The warming rays touch the wounded and those tending them; even the unconscious stir. Neima throws open the windows, and fresh air smelling of dew pours into the room, bringing with it a sense of renewal.
But what do the sun's rays reveal? The earth shook when Domi died, and the Keep was damaged. Furniture was tossed, and the ground shook. And the toll on the Taurs of the Keep was even higher: the wounded and the dead outnumber the living. Not counting the Chosen, only 11 of the Keep's 36 adults are uninjured.
Eight Keep residents are missing: two kids, two cooks, two warriors, a housekeeper, and the Keep's carpenter.
Ten are dead -- Captain Borus; Sergeant Tarf, a male liontaur and Borus's right hand; and seven warriors: Maikolo, a male minotaur, Mavis, a female minotaur, Kallyo, a female minotaur, Esoay, a female liontaur, Eoja a male liontaur, Metea a female centaur, and Hylas a male centaur scout. Several of these were killed in their beds by the crazed Borus, and others died taking the massive minotaur paladin down.
One of the saddest is the dead colt, Theophilia, the little centaur filly. The daughter of the Ixion the mason and Neola the smith, she was playing in the workroom near her parents when Domi died. Somehow, an anvil leapt off its base and crushed her. Ixion ripped his back muscles lifting it off the youngster, but to no avail.
There are other sad tales. Arnora, Borus's mate, will not speak or move. One of her calfs, Tomys, is lost; the other, the toddler Gylda, was burned in the kitchen fire and lies close to death. Palamedes suffered many broken bones and internal injuries at the hands of the crazed clerics, and also lies close to death. Of the eight clerics, only three survived the Chosen's attack, and those are unconscious. Seven of their eight students are fine, though two are slightly injured; one was badly injured and may not last long. Another child, Wekin (whose mom, a liontaur and scout named Vawwe, is lost), simply cannot seem to stop screaming.
And Kular, lapsed into unconsciousness, seems likely to die soon.
All told, eight Taurs lie seriously injured, unconscious, and near death. Without extraordinary help, most will soon pass away.
As the light of the sun reveals a degree of death and destruction beyond his deepest fears, Zeoll is clearly upset. "We cannot let the dead just lie therre! We cannot!" he says. "We must brring the dead togetherr. We must have a funerral and say farrewell. I am the only prriest left, so I will orrganize the funerral."
First he cleans the Heart Chamber so there is no sign of battle. He also prepares bars that will fit the doors, sealing them from the inside after they are closed.
Then with help from whoever will give it, Zeoll brings the dead to the Heart Chamber. He washes each body and wraps it in funeral cloths, which he improvises from sheets and tablecloths he finds around the Keep. He places the bodies around the pedastal on which the cold Heart rests. He puts each body with its head toward the Heart and its feet out, like spokes radiating out from the hub of a wheel. He places near each dead Taur the weapon he or she used in life.
He stands silent for a moment, then says, half to himself, "This is not rright. The bodies arre brroken, so the weapons must be brroken as well."
The wemic priest brings the weapons one at a time into the workshop and takes a hammer to each in turn. Each he breaks or bends into unusability. Then he places each broken weapon back with its owner.
After telling everyone that he is holding a funeral, Zeoll stands in the Heart Chamber and plays a solemn beat on his drum. He does this for an hour. Folk may choose to join him in the room.
He speaks the brave words used on Liontaur Island to wish the dead safe trips into the afterlife, calling on Tomi to gather and protect them. Tears stream down his face, although he does not miss a word of the rite.
Then he invites anyone present to speak.
Finally, Zeoll sings briefly, the drum offering a mournful counterpoint to his words, which start slowly and then fall faster and faster. [OOC: Perform check 27]
ourr love is sent ourr family went ourr lives arre wrrent ourr sworrds arre bent will death rrelent? can grrief lament? is chaos spent? is change unpent? and discontent? malevolent? deificent? benevolent? imperrtinent? incrredulent? amalgament? abalubent? descent? rrepent? ascent? dement?
After a long moment of silence, Zeoll declares, "Ourr God is dead! Domi is dead! Imod is dead! Tomi is dead! Let this place stand a tomb in rrememberrence of what once was."
"Now go! and have courrage!"
==========
A month has passed, and Hearthold Keep is almost back to normal -- a new kind of normal. The staff has regrouped, and with the hard work of Kenisha’s Aunt Minisha and the hermit healer, named Mylo, all those once near death are on their feet. Kular seems out of immediate danger, but he remains asleep, and the best efforts of the healers cannot rouse him.
And the Keep without Kular, like the Wold without Domi, seems empty in some crucial way. The two Chosen who feel the loss most keenly -- Leets and Zeoll -- continue to grapple with this void, that their divine powers once filled. Mylo has offered each one his comfort and prayers, and has said that his door is open if they want to talk.
But the everyday life of the Keep has resumed. Game is hunted, gardens tended, children taught. Every room in the Keep has been scrubbed and aired -- all the bodies and blood are gone. Only by their absences, like holes where teeth once were, can you tell that many died here.
The two healers, centaur and wemic, consult with the Chosen about those holes. It is decided that a memorial event should be held. The entire population of the Keep gather in the Heart Chamber, where there are songs sung and stories told of the dead.
Here is the full list:
Captain Borus Sergeant Tarf Warriors Maikolo, Mavis, Kallyo, Esoay, Eoja, Villem, and Metea Scout Hylas Theophilia, Ixion and Neola's colt Sous-chef Garth Two of the insane priests and one of their visiting students (the rest have since gone back to their school and homes)
==========
At last the Chosen gather three healers to help Kular. At last there is the first chance to breath following Domi’s death. Zeoll uses that chance to pray.
Zeoll spends two days in prayer and meditation, without food, water, or sleep. He moves events and emotions around and around in his head. Sometimes he sings or composes poetry; other times he is motionless and still.
After a long while, Zeoll imagines that Domi Himself has come into the chamber, in the form he took once before when he met the Chosen -- the true taur shape that Kular wears. Prostrate on the floor before the Stone Heart, Zeoll speaks with his imaginary Domi and listens to His answers to the liontaur's questions.
Zeoll: Oh Domi, did you really have to die?
Domi: Did I HAVE to die? Come on, you sound like a nursing cub. "Do I have to eat these brussel sprouts?" "Does Esoay really have to go home now?" "Do I have to go to sleep?" Why is a priest of mine such a whiner? Does it matter if I HAD to die? I'm dead -- that's enough!
Zeoll: But your spirit really lives on in all the other gods, right?
Domi: By Jericho's jawbone! Now I see what kind of priesthood I had! Half become crazed mass murderers, half become pathetic whiners! Look, I'm dead! That's all! People die, gods die. Get over it!
Zeoll: But who should I worship now?
Domi: Hey, pick a god -- any true god of the Wold is fine. Worship them all, if you like! That's not the point. I told you to have courage. Well, be brave, stand up for yourself, and make your way in the Wold! I see now that you all are too dependent on us gods. Yes, honor the gods, but don't expect them to tell you when to wipe your nose and take out the trash.
Zeoll: But what do we do now? We're demoralized and aimless without you!
Domi: THAT'S what I'm getting at! You see the trash is sitting there -- take it out already! The jobs of the Wold are obvious if you open your eyes. Take charge and have the courage to do what needs doing!
Zeoll: Huh?
Domi: Let me spell it out, oh witless one. I Chose you, right? Why?
Zeoll: Um, heal the Heart. Unite the Taurs.
Domi: Right! So are the Taurs united? Are they ready for what's coming?
Zeoll: What's coming, great Domi?
Domi: Zeoll, you're not a seer yet, so don't jump the gun. Forget the details. Look, it doesn't take a seer or a god to see that the Wold is going to hell in a handbasket. And that's the express handbasket, not the local.
Domi pauses, and rubs his head.
Domi: I Chose you. I brought you all together. I gave you Bridge Island and Hearthold Keep. Was that for fun? So you could have a nice place to keep your stuff? Because I liked the view?What did I Choose you for?
Zeoll: Unite the Taurs ...
Domi: And what's coming?
Zeoll: Hell in a handbasket?
Domi: And are you ready for it? NO! Well why not? You're not stupid. Get to work! Unite the Taurs! Prepare for what's coming! Stop moping around -- and tell everyone else to stop moping around too!
Domi starts to fade in Zeoll's waking dream.
Domi: I told you to Have Courage! That means Be Strong! Act Fast! Be Powerful! Be Smart! Be Positive! And help my people! Have Courage!
And the image fades away.
Zeoll sways and blinks. He knows that Domi wasn't really here, but the words his mind put into the dead god's mouth resonate and resound in him. No matter who says them, these are the facts:
o The Chosen were Chosen for a purpose. o They were given HeartHold Keep to help that purpose. o That purpose is to unite the Taurs. o Even if Domi is dead, the purpose is still there!
Zeoll thinks to himself, it boils down to this: "More Troubles are coming, and the Taurs must be united to face them!"
==========
Zeoll goes and gets some food and sleep. Then he rises refreshed and with a new sense of mission. Over the next few days he involves himself in a number of important activities.