Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 1.3 Doen
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 1.3
Doen Fairview
The Contributing Readers have elected to have Zachary take the high ground and attempt to understand the needs of the Waysiders. With any luck, perhaps this will turn out for the best... we can always hope, right? Currently, the Doenians will be receiving +++ Delay and + Luck for this event arc, though it may be modified by further choices as the chapter continues.
Everyone was asleep, drugged by our hedgehog hosts. Glancing around the common room I quickly weighed my options. The older couple did not look like they could put up much of a fight but, then again, I've never been much of a fighter. I could call upon Tah'aveen to smite them, but could I forgive myself in unleashing holy wrath upon them when they were so obviously...
Obviously what? Brother Maynard always told me I was a sensitive individual... lingering at the doorway to the school of Divination, but never before that moment did I realize just how clearly insight into people could provide an understanding of what you wouldn't normally see. These people were in trouble, and it was the kind of unsurmountable urgency that bred desperation.
"My friends are unharmed and you have my attention." I explained, holding my paws before myself with my palms out toward them, showing I meant no harm, "Although I do not approve of your methods, I understand the need must be dire. I am a priest of Doen and I will aid you, though you could have simply asked."
The two fell to their knees, crying at my offer to assist them. It was an awkward feeling feeling sympathy for two people who had drugged my friends and appeared, by all measure to be prepared to coerce me into doing their will. They blessed my name and groveled, apologizing through tears, explaining they knew what they did was wrong but promising me that they had no other options.
"Please..." I spoke, and they fell immediately silent, "You are loyal to the Moon Goddess, and as we are all her children we are family." the word stung me for a moment as I thought about my own flesh and blood back within Doen, but the issue was not about me and I pressed through, "What is the problem and how can I help?"
The two hedgehogs, Mina and Rozs began talking over one another as they quickly put all their effort into explaining the need of their excessive actions. In the end, however, Mina's voice won out over her husband and, once Rozs stopped speaking it was much easier to understand what the problem was... and it was no small issue.
"Oh, bless you, Brother, bless you." she began, and I let her speak her piece knowing that it granted her a degree of relief after worrying about what trouble her actions might have caused. It took her several versions of blessing and seeking forgiveness and apologies before she spoke the words that chilled my bones, "We have no Divine Shield, Brother." it was spoken casually compared to her heartfelt requests for forgiveness.
"But..." it took a moment for things to sink in as I asked the question, "...the statue...?"
"It was our Divine Shield at one time, yes, Brother." Rozs spoke up, inching a little closer, "But, when our friar passed from this world to the next we had no one to speak the blessings."
"Friar?" I inquired.
"A traveling Myrenese priest, Brother." Mina answered, "We have not heard from Doen in... well..." she paused, rubbing at the graying fur near her nose, "Since I was a little child."
"He saw to our welfare for decades, Brother," Rozs explained, "and helped care for us and keep us safe."
"Then... you have converted to the Half Moon?" I asked.
"Oh, no... not at all, Brother." Rozs objected, "Friar Wedell respected our vows to the Pregnant Moon and did what he could to help us keep our faith."
"Why would he do that?" I questioned.
"Because we are all children of the moon, as you said, Brother." Mina answered with a smile. She began straightening my companions up in their chairs, removing errant food pieces from their fur, and generally adjusting them into what would be decidedly more comfortable positions. As she did so, Rozs took over the conversation.
"But our issue is what happened AFTER Tah'Aveen accepted Friar Wedell into her arms..." the inn keeper took a seat himself, wringing his paws, "After the Divine Shield broke..."
"You say the statue was your Divine Shield, but is no longer?" I asked.
"The statue once held a large piece of moonstone the size of your first." Rozs explained, "But, some time after the friar passed... the Moonstone shattered."
The comment forced me to sit down; why hadn't I realized it before? All Divine Shields have Moonstone of some sort but I hadn't even noticed that the statue was just marble... it was something I SHOULD have noticed and the thought sickened me; how was I so prideful that I made such a stupid mistake? I forced the thought out of my head... I had to stay focused, "And you've had no protection since?"
"We have, Brother..." Mina spoke with a chilling, haunted tone to her voice, "but it has come at a horrible price."
"How is it you're safe?" I asked, "What is this price?"
"Two years after the friar's passing, the Divine Shield failed us." Rozs stated, "It was a sudden thing... and we found ourselves at the mercy of the Wild Lands--"
"Which has no mercy." Mina added.
"We lost nearly a third of the town in one day's time as we were besieged by all the Wild Lands had to throw at us." Rozs's paws shook, "...and then..." he glanced around before looking back to me, "THEY came."
"Who came?" I asked.
The two hedge hogs looked to one another then back to me, and the next words they spoke in unison, "The Fey."
"FEY?!?" I demanded, standing up. I paused for a moment at the loud crack my chair made when it hit the hardwood floor, but it did little to stall my astonishment, "In THIS town?"
"They promised to protect us...." Rozs explained, and sighed before adding, "... as part of a mutual arrangement."
"You made an agreement with the FEY?!?" I demanded, astonished that any intelligent being would possibly even consider such a course of action.
"The town council made the agreement." Mina answered, "You must understand, Brother... after what we faced--"
"The Fey were probably the CAUSE of it!" I interjected though now, in retrospect, I assume that pointing it out was probably unnecessary; they were probably aware of that fact themselves.
"Regardless of how it started, Brother, the council had to find a way to make it stop." Rozs explained.
"So they made a deal with the Fey..." I acknowledged with a scowl.
"Yes, Brother." both hedgehogs confirmed.
"What was this deal?" I asked.
"Our children." they answered in unison.
"Your children?" I inquired, motioning to each of them.
"Not just ours, Brother." Mina explained, "The entire village's."
"That is not a cheap price." I sighed, sitting back in my chair.
"We thought it was too costly a price as well, Brother Zachary," Rozs agreed, "and at first we didn't accept, but after the SECOND day of the horrors we had no choice... if we didn't give up the village's children then everyone would die."
"And the Fey upheld their end of the bargain?" I asked.
"They did." Mina acknowledged, "and they have protected our town ever since."
"Then why are you involving us?" I asked. It was a blunt question, but the situation confused me. Didn't they get what they asked for? The town gave up their children and, in turn, was protected by the Fey.
Rozs' answer struck me dumb. "Because they cheated us, your Grace." Rozs explained, "Now, every child born here is taken, and we can do nothing to stop it."
"Children are a sacred gift from Tah'Aveen, Brother Zachary," Mina whispered softly, "Please... help us."
It was a hard situation to face; they had made a bargain with the Fey and, as expected, the Fey took everything they could in as extreme a manner as possible as payment. The thought made me think back to our own encounter with the Fey, and the insight Dillan Flynn showed in his hostile response to any idea of trading with them. The people of Fairview were in dire trouble, there was no doubt about that... but what could I do against an entire enclave of Fey? There was a more pressing matter, however.
"Oh Goddess..." I murmured. Both hedgehogs looked at me questioningly and it was all I could do to keep my voice even as I explained, "The legends say that the Fey always wage war at dawn, when the fresh light of Ta'Alia shines across the land."
"I've heard these stories as well, Brother." Rozs acknowledged, "But what does that have to do with--"
"Your kinsmen had me channel a blessing into the statue." I interrupted him, "The Fey will FEEL that..."
"Oh, merciful Tah'aveen..." Mina gasped.
I glanced to my unconscious companions, "How long will the Bog Berry potion last?"
"Until..." Rozs swallowed audibly, "...perhaps noon."
The next words came out infinitely much calmer than I felt, "I see."
* * * * * *
The adventure continues for the Doenian party in the third post of Chapter 1!
Zachary is forced to come to terms with the group's situation without the aid of his party... how will he handle it?
At this point it is the Contributing Readers vote on the next course of action. The options are as follows:
1) Zachary will attempt to rally the town to help him, and attack the fey alone. 2) Zachary will spend his time thinking of the best way to outsmart the fey and get them discontinue the contract. 3) Zachary will attempt to cure/awaken his party-- if successful they can fight the Fey together... otherwise he will have to face the massive horde alone.
Contributing Readers have until midnight on Thursday, November 17th to vote.