Itinerant: A Pilgrim Quest
6.5 How Did It Come To This
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
Yes! Yes! Yes! Three times yes. Your choice is made, and it is a very fine one, but it will send you down a very treacherous path. Or, in other news, well, I did not expect the quest to go in this direction, but I am nothing but happy to see it make it here. So, here we go.
Without no hesitation and no doubt, you said to the abbot: yes. For all that he had said was true: yours was a beast-slaying spear, named the Rye-stalk, and yours was a very hard shield, and an uncertain path that the Saints had drawn for you. And if you were there on the night of a monster's assault, then how could it be anything, but the will of the Saints that you should fight the beast and drive it back into the black abyss that was its den.
Next, the abbot explained to you the nature of the beast: it was a very horrible creature, coming from a very bleak abyss, and it was stronger than any man, and more savage than even the fiercest bear, and it was known to kill for nothing, but its own wicked desire, which by an ancient curse could never be satisfied, thus driving it only to more slaughter; and it was a tool of the Saints, for they sent it where the injustice was strong, to ravage the land and be a scourge upon men, so that they could be made to consider their sin and mend their ways. It struck at midnight, and had no mercy; only by the will of the Saints its hand could be stayed. Thus, you had little to fear from it, for you were the reprieve sent to the monks in answer to their prayers, sure to break the beast, and return peace to the land.
You said little in response to that; and they did not expect you to speak. Rather, you were led to prayer with them, and sung many hymns to the Saints, of penance and of gratitude, so that for a time the shrine was filled with such song as during the times of good fortune, when it was undiminished by savagery. Yet, in spite of the greatness of the prayer, and piety of the monks, you found very little comfort in it; and in fact, you found that you could no longer sense in your soul the blessing of Saint Odo with such a certainty as you had before. You struggled to remember if it was a wrong-doing of yours, or an offence or a sin that turned the Saint away from you; none such thing was in your memory. And yet, even as you sang the song of praise, it failed to lift your heart, and the blessed calmness and conviction were to you as if behind a veil or a curtain, present, but separated.
Then the prayers were over, and the monks dispersed to their cells, and you were left alone in the shrine; you prayed some more in solitude, hoping that it would provide a reprieve from this strange dread that plagued you ever since you had awakened at the crossroads, but that too turned futile. The candles, with no one to cut the knots, guttered out, and you were left in darkness of the night; in darkness of the soul.
Yet, it was also no time for despair, nor for grand acts of penance, for you had made a promise that you would defend the abbey from the beast, and perhaps in doing so, be absolved in the eyes of Saint Odo, or at least receive a sign to show you what wrongdoing was your part.
There was little doubt that sensing in you a warrior, and an enemy, the beast would come for you before others, as it was drawn to slaughter, and to blood; it too was a warrior, although one of a very bleak tribe. Therefore, you considered where to meet it, and what site to make your battlefield; you could stay in the shrine, and fight within it, hoping that the closeness of the relics would grant you strength; but then again, shrines were meant for peace and worship, and not slaughter, and thus it could be an affront to the Saints to fight on its grounds. You could also make your way into the cloister, and in the abbey's garden stand your ground; as a woman, you should not be allowed there, but it was a sacred place as well, and one better suited to fighting than the inside of a temple. Or you could wait by the courtyard before the shrine, on beaten soil, unsanctified, empty; with no advantage, but also no danger to it.
You chose to…
[ ] Fight in the shrine.
[ ] Fight in the garden.
[ ] Fight in the courtyard.
6.5 How Did It Come To This
Without no hesitation and no doubt, you said to the abbot: yes. For all that he had said was true: yours was a beast-slaying spear, named the Rye-stalk, and yours was a very hard shield, and an uncertain path that the Saints had drawn for you. And if you were there on the night of a monster's assault, then how could it be anything, but the will of the Saints that you should fight the beast and drive it back into the black abyss that was its den.
Next, the abbot explained to you the nature of the beast: it was a very horrible creature, coming from a very bleak abyss, and it was stronger than any man, and more savage than even the fiercest bear, and it was known to kill for nothing, but its own wicked desire, which by an ancient curse could never be satisfied, thus driving it only to more slaughter; and it was a tool of the Saints, for they sent it where the injustice was strong, to ravage the land and be a scourge upon men, so that they could be made to consider their sin and mend their ways. It struck at midnight, and had no mercy; only by the will of the Saints its hand could be stayed. Thus, you had little to fear from it, for you were the reprieve sent to the monks in answer to their prayers, sure to break the beast, and return peace to the land.
You said little in response to that; and they did not expect you to speak. Rather, you were led to prayer with them, and sung many hymns to the Saints, of penance and of gratitude, so that for a time the shrine was filled with such song as during the times of good fortune, when it was undiminished by savagery. Yet, in spite of the greatness of the prayer, and piety of the monks, you found very little comfort in it; and in fact, you found that you could no longer sense in your soul the blessing of Saint Odo with such a certainty as you had before. You struggled to remember if it was a wrong-doing of yours, or an offence or a sin that turned the Saint away from you; none such thing was in your memory. And yet, even as you sang the song of praise, it failed to lift your heart, and the blessed calmness and conviction were to you as if behind a veil or a curtain, present, but separated.
Then the prayers were over, and the monks dispersed to their cells, and you were left alone in the shrine; you prayed some more in solitude, hoping that it would provide a reprieve from this strange dread that plagued you ever since you had awakened at the crossroads, but that too turned futile. The candles, with no one to cut the knots, guttered out, and you were left in darkness of the night; in darkness of the soul.
Yet, it was also no time for despair, nor for grand acts of penance, for you had made a promise that you would defend the abbey from the beast, and perhaps in doing so, be absolved in the eyes of Saint Odo, or at least receive a sign to show you what wrongdoing was your part.
There was little doubt that sensing in you a warrior, and an enemy, the beast would come for you before others, as it was drawn to slaughter, and to blood; it too was a warrior, although one of a very bleak tribe. Therefore, you considered where to meet it, and what site to make your battlefield; you could stay in the shrine, and fight within it, hoping that the closeness of the relics would grant you strength; but then again, shrines were meant for peace and worship, and not slaughter, and thus it could be an affront to the Saints to fight on its grounds. You could also make your way into the cloister, and in the abbey's garden stand your ground; as a woman, you should not be allowed there, but it was a sacred place as well, and one better suited to fighting than the inside of a temple. Or you could wait by the courtyard before the shrine, on beaten soil, unsanctified, empty; with no advantage, but also no danger to it.
You chose to…
[ ] Fight in the shrine.
[ ] Fight in the garden.
[ ] Fight in the courtyard.
- Location
- ?
Awwww hell. Not good. Not good at all.
Not the shrine, that's just offensive, and not even empowering to us. Garden or courtyard? I kinda want to stay on hallow ground, but this whole place is so weird and fishy, and there's something to be said for getting this done on our own merit (tho with Saints' help, always) if we're seeking forgiveness in Saint Odo's eyes.
Halp?
E: fuck it. The candle in our soul will have to suffice.
[x] Fight in the courtyard.
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- Location
- United States
[X] Fight in the courtyard.
Well, it's not good that we've lost Saint Odo's blessing, but I can't regret what we've done up to this point.
I'm worried that it has something to do with whoever the Redheaded Maiden was praying to, and our near death experience.
As was said, all we can do is hope for a sign of what (specifically) we did wrong and a chance to redeem ourselves.
Well, it's not good that we've lost Saint Odo's blessing, but I can't regret what we've done up to this point.
I'm worried that it has something to do with whoever the Redheaded Maiden was praying to, and our near death experience.
As was said, all we can do is hope for a sign of what (specifically) we did wrong and a chance to redeem ourselves.
- Location
- scrabbling
[X] Fight in the garden.
Fairly sure the blessing was just because the pilgrim needed a miracle to stand again after her injuries. I don't think she's done anything wrong.
Fairly sure the blessing was just because the pilgrim needed a miracle to stand again after her injuries. I don't think she's done anything wrong.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
The garden. It's not the first time we break the rules of what we are and aren't allowed to do, and to face a beast 'stronger than any man' with no advantage would be less than optimal.
We aren't supposed to be there as a woman, but we aren't supposed to carry weapons either. If one restriction is lifted, I do not see why it would not apply to the other.
[X] Fight in the garden.
If I had to guess, a warrior chooses their own fate. The blessing of the desperate does not apply to those who choose to bear arms willingly. An innocent could pray for salvation in the heat of battle; a warrior, not so much. It is no coincidence that St. Odo wasn't one.
There are still matters that can not be resolved through force alone, so the blessing might still apply there if we have not completely fallen from grace.
We aren't supposed to be there as a woman, but we aren't supposed to carry weapons either. If one restriction is lifted, I do not see why it would not apply to the other.
[X] Fight in the garden.
If I had to guess, a warrior chooses their own fate. The blessing of the desperate does not apply to those who choose to bear arms willingly. An innocent could pray for salvation in the heat of battle; a warrior, not so much. It is no coincidence that St. Odo wasn't one.
There are still matters that can not be resolved through force alone, so the blessing might still apply there if we have not completely fallen from grace.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Those were our choices of patrons:
There are more Saints, of course.
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
Okay, a PSA so that we are all clear, and my conscience is also clear:
This quest is officially no longer on a daily update basis; I just can't maintain with the workload I'm currently under. My plan is to attempt 3-5 updates a week. I hope that it is still satisfactory.
Thank you for your continued support.
This quest is officially no longer on a daily update basis; I just can't maintain with the workload I'm currently under. My plan is to attempt 3-5 updates a week. I hope that it is still satisfactory.
Thank you for your continued support.
6.6 Different Than Before?
Gargulec
impact!
- Location
- a garden
So. An update. It is a bit different. There is a reason for that! Hopefully, we will find it sometime.
On the courtyard's beaten ground, between rubble and broken masonry, patches of yellow grass grew. You crumpled it beneath your feet, shifting uneasily as you waited for the beast to come for you. Neither your shield nor your spear grew any lighter since the last time you had to wield them – they still felt heavy and cumbersome, and even as you grew more accustomed to them, you knew it would be a long time until you could wield them easily. And in spite of that, you didn't hesitate a single moment when offered a chance to go against a night's monster, one of those fabled beasts sent by the saints to be a scourge upon the world. Of course, you had no doubt that you would not be able to fight it – and now without a blessing to back you up, there was little hope for the Saints to aid you. The moon climbed slowly towards midnight, and you knew that in the hour of the beast's strike, you were doomed to lose.
But, much to your surprise, your heart beat steady, your stomach rested calmly, and you breathed easily and deeply. You were expecting fear, this same sort of mind-quenching terror that blurred your memory of the feast-day massacre, or of standing up to Cu, or being alone in the wilderness, with no one to guide you. Back then, you were blessed, and at some level you knew that your prayers would not go unanswered. And yet, you feared. But now, without that promise, without that consolation, you were at ease.
You remembered asking your father about what it was that made men happy. He was a bit drunk at that time, and so were you, and so you didn't pay much attention to what he replied. He said something like "it's finding the place where you want to live and building your home there". You didn't remember the exact words – he probably said it in a fancier way, or perhaps wove a profanity or two into it. However, they returned to you, in their meaning at least, and you thought about that for a moment; then your mind moved on, and you remembered your home, your father, your brothers. You were afraid that the memories had dimmed, but that was thankfully not the case. Not yet, at the very least.
One more thought occurred to you as the hour of midnight approached – that it was a very beautiful, pleasant summer night. Warm, with a clear sky above, the crescent moon shining like a silver brooch. It seemed so fitting. The calm within matched by the calm outside. Even this strange sort of a dread, which plagued you ever since you awakened on the crossroads, receded, and you breathed freely.
The midnight came, and with it, footsteps.
In the dark, you could not make out anything but the vaguest shape of the hulking creature ahead of you. But as large as it was, it stepped lightly, softly. And its voice was light too, velvet-like.
"I do not know who you are" it said, and there was no malice and no rage in it. It wasn't really a beast's voice, not a devil's one. Nor was it how a tempter would speak; it was neither sultry nor enticing. It reminded you of something, but you couldn't put your finger on what exactly. "But you bar me my way, with a killing-spear and a sturdy shield. I assumed you are a warrior."
The monster stopped approaching, and you didn't have to look at it to know that it watched you very carefully. Silence stretched for a minute, then two.
"Ah" it finally spoke, audibly glad. "Well then. Before we reach the sad, but inevitable conclusion of our inauspicious meeting, can I ask you about something?"
[ ] "Yes."
[ ] "No."
6.6 Different Than Before?
On the courtyard's beaten ground, between rubble and broken masonry, patches of yellow grass grew. You crumpled it beneath your feet, shifting uneasily as you waited for the beast to come for you. Neither your shield nor your spear grew any lighter since the last time you had to wield them – they still felt heavy and cumbersome, and even as you grew more accustomed to them, you knew it would be a long time until you could wield them easily. And in spite of that, you didn't hesitate a single moment when offered a chance to go against a night's monster, one of those fabled beasts sent by the saints to be a scourge upon the world. Of course, you had no doubt that you would not be able to fight it – and now without a blessing to back you up, there was little hope for the Saints to aid you. The moon climbed slowly towards midnight, and you knew that in the hour of the beast's strike, you were doomed to lose.
But, much to your surprise, your heart beat steady, your stomach rested calmly, and you breathed easily and deeply. You were expecting fear, this same sort of mind-quenching terror that blurred your memory of the feast-day massacre, or of standing up to Cu, or being alone in the wilderness, with no one to guide you. Back then, you were blessed, and at some level you knew that your prayers would not go unanswered. And yet, you feared. But now, without that promise, without that consolation, you were at ease.
You remembered asking your father about what it was that made men happy. He was a bit drunk at that time, and so were you, and so you didn't pay much attention to what he replied. He said something like "it's finding the place where you want to live and building your home there". You didn't remember the exact words – he probably said it in a fancier way, or perhaps wove a profanity or two into it. However, they returned to you, in their meaning at least, and you thought about that for a moment; then your mind moved on, and you remembered your home, your father, your brothers. You were afraid that the memories had dimmed, but that was thankfully not the case. Not yet, at the very least.
One more thought occurred to you as the hour of midnight approached – that it was a very beautiful, pleasant summer night. Warm, with a clear sky above, the crescent moon shining like a silver brooch. It seemed so fitting. The calm within matched by the calm outside. Even this strange sort of a dread, which plagued you ever since you awakened on the crossroads, receded, and you breathed freely.
The midnight came, and with it, footsteps.
In the dark, you could not make out anything but the vaguest shape of the hulking creature ahead of you. But as large as it was, it stepped lightly, softly. And its voice was light too, velvet-like.
"I do not know who you are" it said, and there was no malice and no rage in it. It wasn't really a beast's voice, not a devil's one. Nor was it how a tempter would speak; it was neither sultry nor enticing. It reminded you of something, but you couldn't put your finger on what exactly. "But you bar me my way, with a killing-spear and a sturdy shield. I assumed you are a warrior."
The monster stopped approaching, and you didn't have to look at it to know that it watched you very carefully. Silence stretched for a minute, then two.
"Ah" it finally spoke, audibly glad. "Well then. Before we reach the sad, but inevitable conclusion of our inauspicious meeting, can I ask you about something?"
[ ] "Yes."
[ ] "No."
- Location
- Denmark
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] "Yes."
I am intrigued and mystified.
I must know more.
I am intrigued and mystified.
I must know more.
- Location
- scrabbling
Ah. I'm not sure. The impulse is that there's no harm in words, but that might not be strictly true. There are a lot of critters that can take a willingness to talk and turn it into something very dangerous.
- Location
- Who Knows
[X] "Yes."
I mean, this may be a bad idea, BUT I'M SO DAMN CURIOUS I CAN'T STAND IT
I mean, this may be a bad idea, BUT I'M SO DAMN CURIOUS I CAN'T STAND IT