Ghosts Along the River ((A Stardust Joint))

///House of Redemption and Friends, "Ghost Child Event" hosted by DM_Stardust.  Thanks Stardust and everyone who was there, please post IC funnage in here.   Forgive me if I don't get all the names right.  Feel free to holler if you were there and I missed ya.///


Crypto was surrounded by the ladies of the House of Redemption that beautiful and untimely warm winter morning.  Elektra, Nel, Kaetta, Asteria, Ava and Crypto shared morning beverage around the fires of the construction site and at about the same time the elf woman, Lorraine - who would come to be known as WereRabbit and her friend, Eritria, who would be known as DeadBolt, showed up out of the blue... Crypto noticed something odd near the ruins just upriver from the construction.

A greenish blue mist was formed into the general shape of a child girl, holding a stuffed toy bear... he froze in his steps, eyes wide and unable to blink or look away from it until he came to his senses.  Ever since the construction started and the bones of children were found deep in the earth, there have been echoes of childrens' voices... some happy, some sad, some scared and in dire need, all around the construction area.  But until now... only voices.  The voices continued, even after the remains were given a proper burial.  there was never any doubt, these youthful spirits wanted something.



A bit spooked, he wandered over to the circle of women chatting about something or another when he blurted out they should follow him to the ruins and confirm his eyes are not playing tricks on him.  Neleth of the Spirits got the closest... Her, Elektra and Crypto asked the spirit who it was, what it wanted, and if there were others.  Ava was quite disturbed by this whole scene and wasn't afraid to express such.

The spirit didn't directly answer any questions, but it was very sad and missing her father who said he would return from a hunt but never did.  When asked where her mother was, the child looked around... didn't see her... panicked and rain towards the Orc Plains down river.  The scene was heart wrenching... did she die faithless, not even fit for her spirit to face judgement in the Fugue?  Did she displease some god?  Is his wife hungry for her soul?!... Many deep thoughts plagued Crypto's mind as he ran off after the child.  Neleth followed, and then the rest after.

They all gathered just inside the Orc tribal lands where Crypto pointed the direction the child went to the others.  It just so happened it was towards a wall of Orc, Orog, and Trolls and he beckoned them all prepare for a fight.  He could already see a pile of bodies... maybe half a dozen... bloodied, but in civilized attire... the pile was not of dead orcs!



They charged as wave after wave of the dire humanoids defended... but everyone on the House of Redemption and friends were very formidable in battle.  Some slashing with blades, others assailing with dire magics, and others healing the wounded.  The battle lasted a good hour... so many orc, orog, and troll were felled, eventually the battle was taking place between and even atop piles of their bodies.  Easily 60 to 100 orc bloods attacked and were dispatched as well as a dozen trolls...perhaps 2 dozen.  After the hour or so battle, it was hard to say as when you look around all you see are a wall of hairy, bloody, flailing arms and gnashed brown fangs.

When it was all over, Crypto counted heads of his allies, making sure they were all standing and accounted for.  The less scathed healed the wounded... Crypto was then immediately drawn to the pile of bodies that were not orc that he saw before the battle and to his dismay, there they were.  Men, women, children... perhaps a family... clothes torn, necks gashed, eyes gouged, limbs twisted or even torn off... it was truly a wretched scene.  He looked back to the field of a hundred dead or and troll and his heart burned... it wasn't enough.  Then he spotted a mauled toy bear next to a dead woman in the mud and flattened reeds.  He picked it up and examined it and knew immediately who's it was.  He handed it over to his spirit guide, Neleth and she began some ritual communion with the spirit lingering about the toy.



Ultimately the child, who's name we come to find out was Lisa... appears and speaks with Neleth.  Soon after at her side appears the spirit of her deceased mother who's corporeal body was among those murdered by the orcs.  Elektra is brought to tears by the experience.  The spirits expressed gratitude but were too preoccupied with other worldly matter to answer many questions and soon vanished into the river mist of the valley.



Crypto asked for aid to bring all the human bodies back to the House of Redemption for proper death rites and burial.  Ceremonial cleansing of the bodies, anointment of milk - oil -and honey on the forehead - chin - and heart, dressing in pure white robes and crowns of daisy chains, constructing pine coffins, digging their graves, final prayers and burial.



Many worked long hours into the night to see that the bodies were properly laid to rest and according to basic Kelemvorian death rites.  After thus, the gathering gained in numbers.  House Guard, Hwix showed up along with some Hin fellow.   There was much chatter of the deeds that transpired the day before... drinking... merriment... sparring fights... dance... and the inevitable of making new friends with those who came to our aid not even having known our name.



The fresh graves, adorned with flowers from the Harper's Hill Glade will stand as a permanent reminder of what befell that poor family of souls... and what the House of Redemption and friends did to try to make it right.




///these graves are behind the dig site RPwise but won't actually be in until our guild keep is in game... FYI.///

What had begun as a curious interruption of guild festivities had escalated to a full scale battle against waves of trolls , orcs and Oorogs. Elektra stood boldly against any and all threats to her companions. She was only beginning to feel the weight and responsibility of being headmistress of her new clan. She healed , helped and defended wherever she was needed , often leaving final kills to others.
   Yet , nothing that night would move her so deeply as the scene that followed.
The unsettled spirit of the child crying out for mother ... Elektra felt the sting of her own loss, with a renewal of pain she had longed to let go of. Though the Touch of the Goddess Sune had cleansed the rage , anger and vengeance she had carried since her own child had been lost to her, deep within , hope could never die... Hope that she , one day might see the face of her child, Czar.
    And now here it was, the spirit.of both mother and child , both whom had tragically lost their mortal coil , but their bond of love had endured... Yes... There it was , a spark to her hope that eventually, somehow, mother and child , Czar and Elektra , would find each other again... Tears of sweet sadness flowed , both for the spirits they were helping that night, and for events of her own life.
   Another piece of her shattered and torn life had fallen back into place.
One more step on her path to destiny had come.