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#Post#: 872--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 8, 2024, 1:50 am
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[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Black Moon
Story One
Chapter One: A Friend
Vignette 1
Set During Karnea Book II Chapter Sixteen: The New
Paradigm[/center]
[center]Aravis and Azura[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea
Blood Sea Tower of High Sorcery
Aravis sits in the Tower Library, studying one of the volumes of
the Fifth Age from the Great Library of Palanthas, and gradually
becomes aware of her mother’s latest apprentice, the girl Azura,
as she reshelves books from a cart. Several times, she sees the
apprentice staring at her, until finally, she puts down her book
in annoyance. “Is there something I can assist you with, young
one?” Aravis sighs.
Azura startles and drops the book she is holding. “Forgive me,
Daughter of the Black Moon. I do not mean to intrude on your
study. I only wish to say that I am deeply honored to be in the
presence of Your Holiness.” Azura lowers her gaze to avoid eye
contact with Aravis.
Aravis sighs deeply. “I’m just a woman, you know. Just like
you,” she tells the apprentice.
“Would that that were true, Moon Daughter. I can only aspire to
have a fraction of your grace, though I may labor a hundred
years.”
Aravis rolls her eyes. “Azura, please. I am used to all manner
of flattery, but you go too far. I am a normal, flesh-and-blood
person, just like you are.”. Gesturing to the chair next to her,
Aravis continues. “In fact, you have the advantage over me,
having been in this place longer. Perhaps you can help me
understand the ways of this Tower.”
Nervously, Azura sits in the chair, carefully averting her eyes
from Aravis and blushing deeply. “You honor me greatly, Daughter
of my Mistress. How is it that your humble servant may assist
you?”
Aravis heaves a sigh. “First off,” she says, catching Azura by
the chin, “you will look at me. I am not some idol to be adored
and worshiped. I am just me. Aravis. Say it,” she demands.
Azura looks into Aravis’ eyes. “Aravis.”
“Good. Now, from this point forward, no more of this,” Aravis
waves her hands vaguely “nonsense ‘Daughter of the Moon’
business. I’ve been sick of the ‘Princess Consort’ business for
years, and I don’t need it here. What I do need is a friend. Can
you be that friend to me, Azura?”
“It will be as you say, Dau-” Azura catches herself. “Yes,
Aravis, I would very much like to be your friend,” she finishes.
“I’m glad about this, Azura. It has been a very long time indeed
since I had a friend, and I think we are going to be very good
friends indeed. Now, perhaps you can tell me how I might find my
way to the Hunter's Moon? I have to retrive the escort that my
mother has assigned me to go down the Three Moons Inn. Someone
very dear to me is staying there, and I must see him as soon as
I am able.”
"It is along the row of buildings outside of the East Gate. It
is written on the building front. I must leave myself, I have a
session with Master Karnea, I have to retrieve my notes. Be well
my friend."
Aravis smiles for the first time since arriving on Krynn, and
the two wizards part ways.
#Post#: 873--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Two: Perfection
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 8, 2024, 2:19 am
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[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Black Moon
Story One
Chapter Two: Perfection
Vignette II [/center]
[center]Setting the Scene- Karnea departs the Blood Sea Isle and
travels to her demiplane and on to Kalaman before she sets out
on the Rivers on the barges that take them into the Northern
Wastes. Back at the Tower of Blood Sea, Aravis and Lucius have
six days together between Heir of the Empire Chapter Three:
Reunited, only to be.... and Heir of the Empire Chapter Four:
Ripped Apart. One of the first days Karnea has left the
Tower[/center]
[center]Aravis and the Lady Selene[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea
Blood Sea Tower
Seventieth Floor Gardens Dining Hall
Aravis and Lady Selene sit across from each other over
breakfast. Selene finishes a bite of her fruit and looks at
Aravis. “I know it’s only been a few days, but how are you
finding things at the Tower so far?”
Aravis takes a deep breath in. “Frankly, it’s been rather a
shock. Even being followed around by Imperial Guards day and
night, I always had freedom of the capital in Tarish. Being
confined here to this Tower is almost…claustrophobic. I expect
nothing less from Mother, though,” she finishes acidly.
Pretending not to notice Aravis’ tone, Selene replies, “I cannot
say that the Mistress has informed me of all of the particulars
of your arrival, but I take it there was some sort of attack.
I’m sure that she is acting out of an abundance of caution.”
Aravis snorts. “As she ever does. Selene, you’ve known me since
I was just a child; have you ever know Mother to not be overly
protective and stifling?”
“As it happens, no. Karnea has always pushed her students to the
limits. To be perfectly honest with you, I was always jealous of
how easily you picked up the lessons that her other apprentices
and I struggled to master. Kalana and I used to sit up nights
reading and practicing, simply trying to match the things that
came as second nature to you. We could never measure up to you,
and Karnea pushed us all the harder because of it. Always she
wanted more and more from us, perfection, all the while allowing
you to simply absorb the knowledge at your own pace. We were
held to an impossible standard, with you, it seemed that you
could do no wrong. Inari wanted to have a party when you left
for Soreel but was afraid the Mistress would punish us.” Selene
takes a very deliberate sip of her tea, pausing, and setting the
delicate cup down again. “When you speak of the treatment you
receive from your mother, know always that there are those who
suffered more insults than you could know, simply for not being
you.”
Aravis sets her fork down. “But I was never included in the
lessons! I was simply in the room while she taught you all. I
wanted so badly to be included, but Mother would simply brush my
pleas aside and go about her teaching you. You haven’t any idea
how much I wanted to be you, or Kalana, or even Raina.”
“Yes, my dear, you simply sat by during our lessons, and learned
everything we were taught, without even trying,” Selene sneers.
“A practical toddler of a human, at that. I gave up everything
for my Art, and you were simply born to it. And now here you are
again, the literal prodigal daughter, and all you can do is
complain about your mother’s favor.” Selene stands abruptly,
waving her hand angrily at the dishes, causing them to vanish to
the kitchen. “It is certainly not my place to counsel either you
or your mother on your personal relationships, Aravis. But were
I you, I would consider that being under the protection of the
Mistress of the Order of Black Robes and Mistress of the Tower
of Blood Sea is not an entirely bad thing to have.” Selene walks
to the corridor and turns to face Aravis. “Think on that, if you
will, Daughter of the Black Moon.”
#Post#: 886--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Three: Aftermat
h
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 14, 2024, 11:09 pm
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This story directly comes after 422 AC Heir of the Empire:
Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Four: Ripped Apart
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/msg832/#msg832
[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Dark Moon
Story One
Chapter Three: Aftermath[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea
Blood Sea Tower
Talron escorts Aravis back to the Grove gate and asks if he is
needed for anything, to let him know.
Aravis begins at a walk, and it breaks into a run, she cannot
believe this. Aravis gets into the Tower starts climbing the
spiral staircase to the eleventh floor to Lady Selene’s Room and
knocks urgently.
Selene comes to the door wrapped in a silk robe pulled tightly
together, while she ties it around her slim waist. “Aravis,
what’s wrong?” Seeing the state of Aravis’s face, Selene says
“Come in, what has happened?”
Aravis tries to catch her breath while Selene pours a cup of tea
and brings it over to offer to Aravis to calm herself.
Aravis finally says, “L-Lucius w-was j-just pulled under the
ocean by a washed-up body that turned out to be a... Sirine. It
called out, it took over his mind and just took him under. I
don’t know if he’s dead or has just been abducted. When it
called out, I feel like the whole time it was calling for me,
somehow, I resisted it, but it took Lucius over. I must get him
back if he is alive or dead. How can I get down under the ocean
and find him, My father told me I cannot put myself in danger
and I feel like this was bait to get me to get into the sea.”
Selene is looking at Aravis and says “You are thinking, that's
good. If she wanted you, she might still see a use for him.”
Selene looks for her right Spellbook and pages to the spell she
wants to find and looks up the spell components. Selene writes
down the material components, and she tells Aravis to come with
her, they must visit a couple of people. They stay on the same
floor and knock on Orin Shaw’s door. He is still dressed in his
Robes but is clearly preparing for bed. Selene asks if he can
please gather the things for this list together for her quickly,
“A life is in danger.”
The Potion Master looks at the list and then back up to her and
nods his head. They walk over the Teleportation Circle and
Selene tells Aravis she will be right back, and she disappears.
Two minutes later Selene reappears and says “Vaylin is going to
try to locate him, but she may not have much luck as it's still
night.” Selene asks Aravis to follow her.
They walk up the central spiral steps to the 13th Floor and
Selene knocks on the Caretakers Caele Half-Elven and Basalt
Dead-Eye’s doors to get them up. Once they appear Selene breaks
down for them the problem concisely and asks what contact they
have with the local inhabitants when this place was still on the
bottom of the Blood Sea.”
Basalt nods his head toward Caele and says, “You’ll want to talk
to him.”
Caele Half-Elven does not look enthused to be put on the spot,
but he remembers just who Aravis is and says “I’ve been inside
the Undersea Ruins of Istar, where the Dargonesti have claimed.
Some human Wizards also live there.”
Selene asks, “What are relations looking like between us and
them?”
Caele answers “We traded services for services, and that was it.
It was cordial enough. They got what they wanted; we got what we
wanted.”
Selene can see where this is going and decides then and there
what it will take to motivate and lubricate this interchange.
“We are going to need their assistance to find Prince Lucius,
who, is our guest and charge for the time he is here. Master
Karnea will be beyond put out if we do get him back whole and
alive.”
A dawning comes over Caele’s face and he tells them he will be
back and mentions he does not have the spell components to
venture below the oceans and Selene says they will be at the
Apothecary; they go down a floor and wait by the door to the
Apothecary and meet the Potion’s Master, who has the spell
components.
Aravis feels like she has been floating on a cloud. Whatever was
in that tea has taken away her fears and she has just been
watching how efficiently Selene deals with everything before
her.
Soon, Aravis and Selene are in a section of the Tower they have
never been in before, They both never knew the spiral stair went
down this far. They reach the level of the Observatory, a large,
rounded room with a large special glass window that looks out
into the dark deep. Caele tells them it's more appealing during
the day, “You can see the fish and sometimes sea elfs swim by.”
He moves to a lid in the center of the floor and lifts the lid
and he sits down and puts his feet in the water.
He looks less than thrilled to be doing this, but he casts the
spell and drops into the water. Aravis looks up to Selene and
tells her "Thank you Selene for your help tonight."
Selene nods solemnly and they take their vigil, waiting for a
word, or anything else that comes back.
#Post#: 892--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Four: Dive
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 17, 2024, 2:34 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Dark Moon
Story One
Chapter Four: Dive[/center]
[center]Night Six, Day Seven of Karnea's time abroad [/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea of Istar
The Half Elf Caretaker of the Bloodsea Tower known as Cael dives
deeper down. He feels like he is being watched, but he cannot
discern who or what it is, it is just a feeling he cannot shake.
Cael did interact with the sea elves regularly when the Tower
was at the bottom of the Blood Sea. The Undersea City of Istar
is controlled by the Dargonesti sea elves.
On the way down, he is approached by several bull sharks that
push past him, each getting a little rougher in the eerie depths
where light caches less of the wavelengths. He reaches the
bottom of the Blood Sea and swims along, looking for the line.
He finds it is guided to the undersea city, passes into the
City, and is met by blue-skinned Dargonesti and well-armed
guards who take him before the Council of the Steward of Istar,
Apoletta. Cael bids them greetings from the Tower, he goes on to
explain about the missing person, their importance to Master
Karnea, and how much he is wanted back. He explains the culprit
is a Sirine. It seemed to be doing the bidding of someone else.
The elders look at each other and then to the Steward. Apoletta
considers the matter. She can feel the plotting schemes of the
Goddess of the Seas and Storms. She weighs the life vs. her
thoughts of helping the Black Robe Girl-Woman. She decides to
send out groups of searchers. To search for the missing human.
Apoletta then warns Cael that just finding him will not save
him, “He must be healed from the lasting effects of the song
that was sung to him. I will send for someone we know that might
be able to help us. But sending the searchers out will expediate
things. We will look for this human and return him to your
shores and then we discuss payment.”
Cael tells her he understands and thanks her and the council. He
bows and prepares to depart. He is given an aide to get him to
his tower with speed and a dolphin that comes up and flips head
over fins and swims up for Cael to hold on to it. Holding on it
its dorsal fin and feels its completely frictionless, and smooth
body. It feels that Cael has taken a secure grip, and it
accelerates, speeding him to the island above.
Above at the Tower, it is nearing dawn.
Aravis and Selene have left the observation chamber and had
breakfast. Selene must prepare to open classes for the morning.
They return to the Lower Chamber and see that Caele is climbing
up and they go to help out of the undersea gateway. (Aravis
helps the most to save Selene from changing again.) Cael reports
what he did and what Apoletta said. He is tired, Aravis helps
him up to his feet and thanks him for finding help.
He nods to her, and Selene tells him to breakfast and rest for
the rest of the day. Cael thanks her for that and walks ahead of
them up the stairs to the main hall where he gets some food and
disappears to his room until they need him again.
Selene goes to open the classes, leaving Aravis standing in the
Main Hall wondering what she can be doing. She teleports on the
Teleportation Circle up to the Twenty-sixth Floor of the Tower
and enters the Chamber of Eyes and sees Vaylin, dead tired
searching the waters around the tower to find Lucius. Aravis
finds her thanking Vaylin as well, but she tells her to “Eat and
get ready for her class and then get some rest.”
Vaylin smiles, “I’m sorry I could not find him. I have not given
up and will return to it shortly, Just going to rest for a
while.” She leaves Aravis in the chamber and departs. Aravis
eyes The God's Eye. Aravis has hesitated to use this artifact of
her father’s construction. The power to see anything, but it
seems things can be hidden. Going to have to find out why that
is and how that can happen. She wishes to speak to her father
again and wonders what keeps him away. Is she just supposed to
wait? She guesses whatever was in the tea from earlier from
Selene has worn off. Aravis leaves the Chamber and goes to lay
down for a while to get some rest.
She reaches her room, goes to her bed, and lies down. She
thinks for a while about the sacrifices these people made to
help her and Lucius tonight. She knows why, but still. Even
Cael, coming out of nowhere and doing that. Her last thoughts
are of blue-skinned sea elves swimming, searching in caves,
avoiding threats, and tracking in the ocean depths…
#Post#: 909--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Five: Returned
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 27, 2024, 11:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Dark Moon
Story One
Chapter Five: Returned [/center]
[center]By AE[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea of Istar
It has been a matter of days since Lucius was taken. In that
time the hours of worry and waiting have filled most of Aravis’s
time. Intellectually, she has no reason for hope and every
reason to believe she is not getting him back. But a hope has
carried her, a belief in the impossible.
Aravis awakens to a knock at the door to her room. Aravis throws
on her Black Robe and goes to look in the mirror, then remembers
what she did to the mirrors on this floor. She puts her hair
back and ties it off and walks to the door. She opens it and
finds it is a young page boy, perhaps no older than Seven. “Yes,
what is it?”
The boy looks up at her and tells her “Lady Selene sent me to
tell you that Master Lucius has returned to land and is in the
Inn of the Three Moons. A Guard is waiting for you at the East
Gate.”
Aravis hastily puts on her slippers and follows the page out of
the room. She practically runs down the hallway to the
teleportation circle near the stairs, and steps into it while
calling to mind the sequence of runes for the ground-floor
circle. In her flustered state, it takes several breaths before
she properly recalls the sequence and materializes at the foot
of the great stairway of the tower. She rushes through the front
door of the Tower and through the Grove, meeting the
warrior-monk Eris at the East Gate. Eris escorts her quickly
through the streets of the growing town to the Inn of the Three
Moons.
She bursts through the inn's door and finds Lucius seated at a
table, halfway through his second plate of food, a tankard of
ale at his elbow. He looks up as the door flies open, and sees
his betrothed enter the common room. “Aravis!” he exclaims as he
rises from his chair. “Lucius, my love,” she breathes as she
dashes across the room. The couple collides in a tight embrace
for several moments. Aravis pushes back from Lucius’ arms and
slaps his face. “I could’ve lost you,” she says firmly, knotting
her eyebrows.
Taking her by the hands, he grins crookedly. “You’ll not be rid
of me so easily, my dear. I simply tired of waiting for you and
returned.”
Aravis stares at him blankly for a heartbeat and then laughs,
the tension broken. Returning to his arms, she buries her face
in his chest and sighs. “I’m glad that you chose me over her,”
she lightly laughs.
The couple sit down at the table as Lucius recounts what he
remembers of his experience. “I knew that I needed to get away,”
he tells Aravis. “But my mind was clouded, and I couldn’t resist
her charms. I was enspelled.”
Lucius finishes his meal and tells Aravis that he is exhausted.
Aravis tells him that she is unwilling to leave him alone, and
they agree to adjourn to his room at the inn. Turning to Eris,
Aravis tells her “Stay or go as you will, but I’ll not be
returning to the Tower tonight.” The monk shrugs and states
flatly “As you wish, mistress. My task is to watch over you, and
so I will remain here.” Eris posts herself at the foot of the
stairs as Lucius leads Aravis up to his room.
#Post#: 1064--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Six: Making Pla
ns and Setting Sail
By: Dungeon Master Date: March 23, 2025, 10:16 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
TV-MA Rated R for suggestive themes and actions
[center]Aravis
Daughter of the Dark Moon
Story One
Chapter Six: Making Plans and Setting Sail [/center]
[center]By AE[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea of Istar
The following days, Lucius recovers in his room at the Inn, and
Aravis stays by his side until she knows he will pull through.
She stays with Lucius at the Inn of the Three Moons on the
island for the next three weeks, returning occasionally to the
Tower to confer with Selene as she makes the arrangements for
Lucius to sail north. Aravis brings with her what scant
knowledge she can find in the Tower library concerning the Irda
and their home.
“It is rumored that Chaos himself destroyed the Irda’s home
island during the Summer of Flame,” Aravis tells him as they
pore over maps of the northern coast of Ansalon and the Courrain
and Turbidus Oceans. “There might still be some artifacts there,
but it is said that all the Irda on the island perished.”
“But the call is still active,” Lucius replies. “When the white
moon is full, I feel the pull to the north. If there are any
survivors, I feel like they would have returned after Chaos’
defeat.”
“And you believe that your father is one of those survivors?”
Aravis frowns. “Why wouldn’t their ruler be present when they
opened the Greygem and released the god?”
“I don’t know, but I just have a feeling. Mother always said
that Rotas was always wandering and so, I’m not sure that he
would’ve been there. Maybe he returned after the Chaos War to
see what happened.” Lucius shrugs expansively. “At any rate,
Mother would be quite upset if I didn’t at least look for him
while I was here. Never mind that she herself doesn’t appear to
be in any hurry to find him,” he rolls his eyes.
“The minotaurs will be the most dangerous. If you see their
sails, you need to have an escape plan. They will board any ship
and take any plunder they find,” Aravis tells Lucius.
“Mother would not stand for that, if this were Soreel. She would
send the navy to sort the minotaurs out.”
“And yet there are still pirates and corsairs in the Free
Isles,” Aravis smirks. “Tell me, my dear, how that is different
from the minotaurs here?”
“For starters,” Lucius kisses Aravis on the nose, “the Crown
manages to get a cut of most of the piracy in the Isles.” He
takes a drink of his wine. “The pirates and thieves of the Free
Isles were some of the first of my mother’s supporters when she
returned to Soreel, remember. These minotaurs are simply a
nuisance.”
“A nuisance that has invaded the mainland and dispossessed the
elven homeland, a country that has stood for thousands of years.
I don’t think you truly grasp the power balance here.”
“Perhaps, but I can read a map, and I can see that the minotaur
islands are only so big, so they can’t have all that much
manpower. If they have overwhelmed the elves on the mainland,
that says more about the weakness of the elves and less about
the strength of the minotaurs.”
Lucius spreads his hands apart. “The more shipping they use to
support their invasion of the mainland, the fewer ships they
should have to harass sea traffic.”
Aravis furrows her eyebrows. “I certainly hope you’re right, my
love. The reports of some of the sailors who call on the docks
here don’t quite agree with your assessment. This island here is
Saifhum and is known to be pirate-friendly. This part of the
mainland is Nordmaar. Your ship is going to have to pass through
this narrow shipping lane here.
Lucius looks at the place Aravis is indicating. “Looks like a
good place to get ambushed. Thank you, I’ll keep a lookout for
that.
Within a matter of days, Selene comes down and brings Lucius to
the docks and introduces him to Captain Wilks. Selene tells
Aravis and Lucius that the tide will be favorable to set sail
tomorrow.
Aravis and Lucius walk back to the Inn, hand in hand, and share
a night together before the morning light brings them awake.
They remain in each other’s arms for as long as they dare, and
Lucius gets up and pulls on the attire he has chosen for the
trip. She soon rises and slips into her Robe, and with a last
look at the maps on the table, Lucius leads Aravis out of the
room and to the docks.
Selene and Talron have come to watch Lucius board the ship.
Selene informs Lucius that Talron will accompany him as a guard
for the prince. It would not be the first time Talron has served
in this duty before for Lucius.
Lucius is appreciative of his company. Lucius moves to say
goodbye to Aravis. He holds her for a few moments and talks
quietly to her. She looks up at him. He kisses her a last time,
smiles at her, and walks the dock until he mounts the ramp and
comes aboard the Progress, and he walks to where he is sure he
is out of the way and waves goodbye to Aravis and Selene. Aravis
watches Lucius as the ship moves away from the island and into
the far distance.
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