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[Ranewen]

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Ranewen sat upon the mossy ground as pixies fluttered about, an ancient vine-covered yew tree in front of her. It had taken some time, but she finally found someone with helpful knowledge of Sosaria. Another elf by the name of Aerie told her about this strange realm, and even provided a moongate for her to a city she called Sanctus. Ranewen stood up and stretched, enjoying how the tree, and all life around it, was thriving. After mounting her horse once more, she rode towards the trail, and towards a cave off in the distance.

Her discussion with Aerie revealed quite a bit of the information she needed. The common name being used for the Morcuma'Oma was the Ebon Skull, and its cult following refered to as the Order thereof. And apparently, they thrived on these islands of shadow named Malas. Her duty now was to find these tainted followers, and return them to nature. After much experimentation during the war against the Stygian Empire so long ago, the elves discovered a way to calm the tainted souls. The Dazu'la, the conscious undead, were completely removed from nature. They could not enjoy, not truely. However, the elves crafted rituals to give them temporary bodies fuelled by arcane energy. They could eat and drink, and their body would process it directly into energy, waste being given off as body warmth. They would be able to use all of their senses, and after having their memory cleansed would be able to be released into society to enjoy all life has to offer. And, through enjoyment of life, their soul would become pure, allowing them to die properly and return to nature.

A chill ran down her spine as she followed the path, coming upon trees which appeared to be infected with some wretched blight, their branches twisted and black. She slowed her horse down and continued cautiously, uncertain of what to expect. The cult undoubtably made this land their home, to taint even the trees with their wickedness. Soon, black stone buildings came into view in the distance. She cautiously crossed a bridge over a "moat" into the ethers the isles floated in. As she wandered about the scattered buildings, she realized she was in a city, it did not appear to have any buildings related to the cult. She spotted a hill towards the north end of the town, and climbed it for a better view of the area. However, a shrill wail pierced her train of thought and captured her attention. She made her way down the hill, noting more wails appearing to be from a cave under the hill. She approached slowly, looking around carefully to ensure she was not being watched, and entered the cave. She took but a few steps before her spine tingled and muscles tensened from instinct, her horse taking a few steps back and whinnying to Ranewen. Thousands of trapped souls cried out in pain in the ornately decorated cavern. She was completely certain the cult was near, for this was undoubtably the well of souls.

Ranewen quickly left the well and wandered back to the west, now studying something that caught her eye as she was on the hill: a large hill to the north with a number of buildings on it. She stopped near the bridge and instinctively moved behind one of the twisted black trees for whatever cover it could provide, and proceeded to study the hill. She saw movement on it, her eyes trailing up it before she noticed something terribly eerie. Thick deep gray clouds seemed to move slowly like a vortex as far as she could see, the centerpoint being over the top of the hill. Again her spine tingled, she had a terrible feeling she knew where the wretched Skull was. She wandered back to the east, finding a few people at what appeared to be the town center. Clad in dark clothing, they questioned her. She quickly shifted her focus as a skeletal warrior neared. The other two needed a lesser purification simply so they could get their mortal lives together again, however this skeleton required more immediate attention.

Ranewen lured the skeleton away alone, telling it about something important it needed to see. She didn't lie to it, what she had to show it was quite important. She wanted to show it life and nature again. Away from the buildings in the town, she took her staff from its harness on her back and cast a moongate to ruins of the old shrine the elves used for such rituals. The skeleton was confused, but quickly grew furious as Ranewen began her attempts to detain it. The skeleton was amused at first, attempting to raze the ground with flame as it arrogantly proclaimed to be elven at one time. Shocked and deeply saddened, Ranewen rose more vines from the ground and wrapped them around the skeleton's leg, this time arcane energy protecting them. As the skeleton realized its attacks were doing nothing to the restraining vines quickly growing up its body, it turned its attention to Ranewen and threw a ball of thick black energy at her. She focused on the energy, and the energy around her, tendrils of light green energy floating off her and diffusing the taint from the attack. She then held her staff forward, having the vines pull the skeleton to the ground. She channeled energy through the vines, draining the tainted energy from the skeleton and replacing it with soothing pure ether.

The skeleton soon fell unconscious, and Ranewen dismounted her horse and began the ritual. She pulled from a pocket on her robe a flask filled with a thick green liquid, the sap of Sosaria. The very essence of nourishment in all life, binding all life together as one. She spread the sap over the skeleton's bones, making lines and markings upon it. Next, she pulled out three enchanted vine roots and placed them around it in a triangle. Lastly, she pulled out a pouch filled with fertile soil, as fine as a powder. She sprinkled two handfuls over the skeleton, and took a step back. Holding her staff over the prepared skeleton she bowed her head forward and focused on the nature surrounding her, channeling its energy into the roots she placed. The roots sprouted and grew, wrapping around the captured skeleton completely. Closing her eyes, she began a prayer to nature.

Nature, provide this lost soul with the flesh to feel the joy of pleasure and the hurt of pain.
Provide this soul with sight to view all your beauty.
Provide this soul with a tongue to taste the sweetest fruits and the refreshment of water.
Provide this soul with a nose to smell the welcoming scent of the forest and the sweet fields.
Provide this soul with ears to hear the precious sound of the birds singing and water babbling.
Allow this soul to live off your energies, as a child of your grace,
So that it may one day be cured of its taint, and rejoin you in the eternal lifestream.


Ranewen lifted her head and watched as the vines glowed as nature's energy channeled through them, using them as a medium to give the skeleton new flesh. Eventually, the glowing of the vines receeded, and Ranewen held her staff over the vines once more, pulling them into the earth and revealing a beautiful elven woman. Ranewen couldn't help but feel pity for her fallen sister, however felt glad at the same time to help her begin the path of overcoming the Ebon Skull's taint. She reached into a deeper pocket in her robe, and pulled out an elven shirt and pants. Removing the woman's dark clothing and going through her possessions, Ranewen dressed her in new clothing and left her only with her magery reagents, giving her a new spellbook and an elven dagger in place of what she took. Gathering up all of the confiscated belongings and mounting her horse once more, Ranewen made one silent prayer for the woman, in hope she would rediscover the joy of life and be free from the Ebon Skull. She then motioned for her horse to move, wanting to take the confiscated belongings away from the woman before her awakening, and rode off towards Heartwood.