Pavel and Krigerseln take the first watch...
The mine carried many eerie sounds while the others slept. Determined to stay vigilant, Pavel examined each one, dissecting it in his mind and determined it to be 'friend' or 'foe'. Most were neither- the skittering of a sizeable but harmless insect, the screech of a bat in the distance, the dripping of moisture from the cave ceiling.
Then soft footsteps approached, but Pavel's staff remained at his side. He knew these particular footfalls well.
"Good even, Krigerseln."
The bard laughed, softly.
"How did you know it was me?" he whispered.
"Not a one among us would need eyes to recognize a friend," Pavel answered, "we choose them with our heart- and I assure you, that part of me still functions well."
The bard fidgeted a few moments, then tentatively spoke.
"Pavel, I have a question..." he offered.
Pavel listened and smiled sadly. He could sense the pain in Krigerseln's voice. He knew the question before it left the young elf's lips.
"...Why, Pavel?"
Pavel thought about how to answer for a moment, then a drip from the ceiling of the mine helped him formulate his response.
"Do you see that puddle on the cave floor to your left?"
Krigerseln nodded. Noticing a moment later that the monk could not see his acknowledgement, he replied-
"Yes- it's actually quite large," he joked, "I should have brought my fishing pole."
Pavel laughed quietly, then began to explain.
"You could stare at it all day long, and not understand the true nature of the water. Is it simply a reflective surface? Is it hard like steel? Is it warm? Cold? Can I break it? Will it hurt me to touch it?"
A drop fell from the ceiling, striking the surface of the puddle with a 'plunk'. Ripples traveled outward, caused by the entry of the droplet.
"Now we see it's soft, liquid...like wine..."
"Yes, we have more information now," Pavel continued, "the sound it makes...the way such a tiny drop affects the whole puddle- but to truly understand the water we must-"
"...take a swim!," Krigerseln interjected, half jokingly.
Pavel nodded. He would miss seeing the look of discovery on the young bard's face.
"Exactly," Pavel agreed, "Now, my faith is one of suffering and sacrifice- how do you suppose I will learn about their true nature?"
The young elf scratched his chin and thought for a moment before turning back to the patiently listening monk.
"Your god immerses you in suffering and sacrifice so that you might better understand the nature of your faith?"
Pavel nodded, "Something like that."
"Are you sure that you God does not play a cruel joke on you?"
"The Broken One has taken only my sight," Pavel replied, "nothing so important as my vision."
The bard thought about this for a moment before he realized what the monk was saying. Then he thought about Kelestri hitting the monk in the chest with a stone.
"The others," Krigerseln warned, "you realize that they may not understand."
"Perhaps," Pavel conceeded, "but do not be so quick to judge. I have underestimated the wisdom and understanding of the Company of Light and Darkness before. If we are to save the Vast, it is our wisdom that must prevail, not just our swords and spells."
"Then I hope we have plenty of both..."
The bard began walking quietly toward the other end of the hallway.
"As do I," Pavel said quietly, hoping that his god heard it as the prayer it was intended to be.
The mine carried many eerie sounds while the others slept. Determined to stay vigilant, Pavel examined each one, dissecting it in his mind and determined it to be 'friend' or 'foe'. Most were neither- the skittering of a sizeable but harmless insect, the screech of a bat in the distance, the dripping of moisture from the cave ceiling.
Then soft footsteps approached, but Pavel's staff remained at his side. He knew these particular footfalls well.
"Good even, Krigerseln."
The bard laughed, softly.
"How did you know it was me?" he whispered.
"Not a one among us would need eyes to recognize a friend," Pavel answered, "we choose them with our heart- and I assure you, that part of me still functions well."
The bard fidgeted a few moments, then tentatively spoke.
"Pavel, I have a question..." he offered.
Pavel listened and smiled sadly. He could sense the pain in Krigerseln's voice. He knew the question before it left the young elf's lips.
"...Why, Pavel?"
Pavel thought about how to answer for a moment, then a drip from the ceiling of the mine helped him formulate his response.
"Do you see that puddle on the cave floor to your left?"
Krigerseln nodded. Noticing a moment later that the monk could not see his acknowledgement, he replied-
"Yes- it's actually quite large," he joked, "I should have brought my fishing pole."
Pavel laughed quietly, then began to explain.
"You could stare at it all day long, and not understand the true nature of the water. Is it simply a reflective surface? Is it hard like steel? Is it warm? Cold? Can I break it? Will it hurt me to touch it?"
A drop fell from the ceiling, striking the surface of the puddle with a 'plunk'. Ripples traveled outward, caused by the entry of the droplet.
"Now we see it's soft, liquid...like wine..."
"Yes, we have more information now," Pavel continued, "the sound it makes...the way such a tiny drop affects the whole puddle- but to truly understand the water we must-"
"...take a swim!," Krigerseln interjected, half jokingly.
Pavel nodded. He would miss seeing the look of discovery on the young bard's face.
"Exactly," Pavel agreed, "Now, my faith is one of suffering and sacrifice- how do you suppose I will learn about their true nature?"
The young elf scratched his chin and thought for a moment before turning back to the patiently listening monk.
"Your god immerses you in suffering and sacrifice so that you might better understand the nature of your faith?"
Pavel nodded, "Something like that."
"Are you sure that you God does not play a cruel joke on you?"
"The Broken One has taken only my sight," Pavel replied, "nothing so important as my vision."
The bard thought about this for a moment before he realized what the monk was saying. Then he thought about Kelestri hitting the monk in the chest with a stone.
"The others," Krigerseln warned, "you realize that they may not understand."
"Perhaps," Pavel conceeded, "but do not be so quick to judge. I have underestimated the wisdom and understanding of the Company of Light and Darkness before. If we are to save the Vast, it is our wisdom that must prevail, not just our swords and spells."
"Then I hope we have plenty of both..."
The bard began walking quietly toward the other end of the hallway.
"As do I," Pavel said quietly, hoping that his god heard it as the prayer it was intended to be.
posted by Pavel the Monk at Tuesday, October 03, 2006
5 Comments:
I don’t understand why you embrace suffering, but I respect your decision to do so. I will try to cure you unless you demand that I do not. Your ability to complete your quest is now diminished. Do you think you can go on?
Please allow me to jump right in here to acknowledge your marvelous writing on this.
Pavel has developed into a very compelling character. The events of session 23 regarding Pavel's choice and act of faith will be one of my most memorable highlights from this campaign.
Many thanks for your concern Mithinu, but I neither desire nor require a cure. Perhaps it is difficult to for those who are not Ilmatari to understand, but in Ilmater's eyes, my condition is the cure.
I will go on with our quest, but my capabilities might not be so diminished as one might think. As I told Krigerseln- it was my sight that was taken, nothing so important as my vision.
Again, I thank you for your kind words, thoughts and your desire to help.
Pavel remains steadfast.
I eagerly await your next chunk of marvelous prose=)
Did I mention how eagerly I await your next chuck of marvelous prose?
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