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Background & History
Michael Dean
Brought into a
monastery at a young age, after his village was destroyed, he and his
brother Robyn survived the tragedy and soon adapted to the beliefs of
the Monks. The Elder Monk – Demiah brought up the two brothers as his
sons. They were educated, loved and taught the powers of nature.
His
brother Robyn was five years older, and was the reason for Sira’s
existence. Sira would have been burnt to death if his brother didn’t
grab him from his bed during that fateful evening. Sira loved his
brother and vowed that he would help his brother for the rest of his
life.
During
his time in the monastery, Robyn used his powers for evil intentions;
Sira saw this but could not bring himself to stop his brother’s
actions. At night, Robyn would sneak out and go on a stealing rampage
satiating his greedy habits. He asked Sira to join him a few times but
Sira wanted not to hurt anyone unless he saw it as teaching the person a
lesson. Sira always thought of ways of learning through violence, and
that is how he went his ways.
Sira
had regular discussions with Robyn to try and show him what he was doing
to other people but nothing ever changed. Sira knew time would create a
consequence for his brother’s actions. A few years passed, until one
day during a ceremony, the Elder rejected Robyn from the monastery.
All the other monks had no idea why this had happened, Sira moved
back into a dark corner, disappointed and ashamed of his brother but was
upset that he couldn’t do anything.
Robyn
left by ship the next day, no-one knew if they would see him again
though Sira felt that their life-paths would cross again and it would be
for the best of things. Sira became very quiet after Robyn left, mainly
concentrating on learning different skills for the day when he would set
off to find his brother.
Four
years pass, and finally Sira tells his Elder that he is leaving, he
feels that he has to find the true meaning of his life. The monastery
was his home, but he felt he had to leave. The Elder granted him his
wish, set him up for his journey and said goodbye. All the monks were
sad to see Sira leave, but all understood. Demiah asked Sira to return
if ever he needed anything, but if he returned with anyone else, he
would not be allowed in.
The
monastery was on the outskirts of the city of Saral in eastern Saralis
and it was here that Sira headed. He
brought some extra supplies and managed to obtain passage on a ship in
exchange for work as a sailor.
The
captain John Smith, believed that he had seen Sira before, but could not
put a memory to it. It never bothered Sira, as he was too young to
remember. Sira enjoyed sailing, he always felt that he was heading
somewhere that would teach him more about his life. He always had a
feeling that his life was a quest but wasn’t sure what it was. But he
knew that he had to find it, otherwise death would find him.
He
sailed for seven years and then arrived in Norek. He was very
enthusiastic about getting off at Norek, he was familiar with the
architecture but could not place it. He had a strange sense that he had
been there before and was anxious to explore Norek, and to continue the
search for his brother, which lay ahead.
Motivations
Michael meanwhile has come
to pay his respects to his brother from the monastery who has set up a
shrine to Shaal in Norek.
Developments
Norek
You can’t help but
think that your meeting with the young man in the cell was not entirely
coincidental. Even after
meeting the others but you couldn’t lose the feeling that there was
something familiar about him. An
odd-looking elf, he carried himself with the self-assurance of a
military man. It was rare
indeed for an elf to join the military. The elves trained as small
strike-forces or large bands of archers, not as soldiers.
The
others also seem familiar in some way. You are quiet as they discuss the
arrests, content to follow the conversation and study the speakers.
Eventually
it is time to take your leave. You
arrange to meet them the following day at a café on the river.
You leave just as the sun is setting over the city walls.
Your
heart is troubled. When you
left Saral you left with a purpose.
The monastery training you had has calmed your mind.
You can now sleep at night without waking, heart pounding,
dripping with sweat after a nightmare.
You
clear your mind of the distractions the past and stride through Norek.
As you walk along the wide avenues of Norek, the people are
beginning to pack away their stalls and lights come on in the buildings
all around you. Up ahead
two Sentinels stop and talk to a merchant, as you walk past you catch a
snippet of conversation.
“Come
on Rufus. You must have
heard something! Captain
James would be very interested in any information, this wasn’t just
anyone that was offed, the Council is very interested in this being
solved.”
Leaving
the guardsmen, you head down a long tree-lined avenue towards another
bridge. This leads to
Spheari Isle and you wonder how you knew that.
The lattice stone work of the bridge beneath your feet seems so
familiar, yet you have never been to Norek before, of that you are sure.
Reaching
the other side, you step from the bridge onto an enormous open lawn in
the shape of a cone, the thinnest point opened onto the market circle.
Weary tradesmen dismantling their stalls and loading up their
carts make way for the revelers and more nocturnal inhabitants of Norek.
As
you stride across the grass, you become aware of a low humming sound
coming from up ahead. Two
people walking a dog pass you by with a cheery “A’Rhim!” and
no-one else seems to notice the humming which is becoming louder and
louder. Ahead you think you
can see the source of the sound, some sort of sculpture.
Suddenly a familiar smell wafts by you.
Incense! For nearly
ten years you woke, trained and slept with that smell all around you.
You see the familiar entwined dolphins atop a small building.
A blue light spills from the curtained doorway.
Cut into the walls are huge glass windows and within you can see
hundreds of fish swimming within the walls.
As
you enter, stopping only to bow your head, Shaal was not a God who
valued fawning followers, the source of the blue light becomes clear,
the entire western wall is an huge aquarium.
Light from the candles scattered around the room reflect from the
blue water, bathing the room in shimmering tranquility.
Shaal felt very close here in this place of worship.
Below the aquarium is a small offering bowl, there are a few
coppers resting inside it. You
stand for a moment, drinking in the presence of your God, your earlier
tiredness and anxiety about the Sentinels is washed away and you feel
rejuvenated.
A
young acolyte steps inside the door.
“My
apologies, sir, I stepped out from some fish food only.”
He has a large bucket of krill in one hand and an enormous bucket
of water in the other. As
you see his simple but cared for white robe of Shaal, you suddenly
notice the dirt beneath your nails, and your disheveled appearance.
It is not right to appear before one’s God thus.
The acolyte stares at you for a moment, “Sir, would you like a
drink of water, you look a little pale.”
“Nay,
I am aright, I wanted to pay my respects thassall.” You realise that you look no more like a monk of Shaal than
this man looks like a sailor.
“Afore
I go, though, do you know aught of my brother?
Robyn? He was an
acolyte of Shaal like yourself, from Master Demiah’s monastery in
Saralis.”
The
young man shakes his head, “I’m sorry my son, but although we have
many visitors, there are only four of us who tend the shrine and I have
known them all my life. Why
do you think your brother might have come to Norek?
Has he been gone long?”
You
talk for a while with the acolyte, keeping the subject firmly on him and
finally you stand. “Ah
well, Jum, it has been good to talk, Sotor Grek to you and your
kind.” The use of the old
Shaalian greeting confuses him, but he rises and gives the customary
greeting back
“Indeed,
bluweir stronth to you and yours also, my friend.”
As
you walk past the collection bowl you drop a silver piece into it.
You may not have got any closer to finding your brother, but
Shaal was still strong within you.
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