Indirik Family/Kende/Pilgrimage to the Volcano
| Roleplay from Kende Indirik | |
| Message sent to All nobles of Darka | |
| Kende once again stood on the outcropping of volcanic rock. This was the ledge used by the priests to toss sacrifices into the central crater. He had witnessed several such sacrifices in his time as Lord of Mnt. Sinclair, so many years ago. He'd even watched a prisoner execution here once. He'd forgotten who it was. Some lackwit noble who fancied himself an assassin, and been caught in the act, no doubt. Well, he'd paid the price, and Sigrid had claimed him with her vengeful fires.
There was something mesmerizing about the way the lava ebbed and flowed. And the way the lava occasionally bubbled up, sending a random gout of flame rising into the air accompanied by thick rolls of black smoke. Sometimes these bursting bubbles sent small gobbets of lava flying into the air. Their fiery red trails were spectacular in the darkness. On rare occasions these small bits of molten rock found willing tinder in some dry bit of vegetation. Probably Darka attempting to reclaim the land and bring life back to blasted slopes of the volcano. The tinder blazed into a small fire that burned voraciously before the scant fuel ran out. This had been happening for so many hundreds of years, as long as any written record could be found, that there was just very little left to burn. Sigrid apparently didn't view Darka's attempts to restore life too kindly. Perhaps some day this friendly sparring would become more serious, perhaps leading Sigrid to cause another eruption of lava, like that which periodically washed across down across the plains of Winser, into the sea. This was the third night in a row that Kende stood upon this ledge. He brooded and stared, not knowing why he felt called to this place. Yet there was no doubt that he was called. The compulsion had been strong, and he had no choice but to answer. So here he was, answering the call. Waiting for the reason to become clear. Staring into the fires... | |
| Kende Indirik (General of Darka) | |
| Roleplay from Kende Indirik | |
| Message sent to All nobles of Darka | |
| The fourth night found Kende once again on the ledge above the volcano. But something was different tonight. He didn't know what it was. Did the lava look maybe a bit hotter tonight, or the glow a little brighter?
It was deep into the night when it happened. A particularly large bubble of lava burst, sending a noxious cloud of fumes into the air and ejecting several small molten gobbets of lava high into the air. Kende watched them fly through the air leaving bright fiery trails across the sky. One of them appeared to be flying straight up. Or was it... It couldn't be... The chances would be astronomical. But still, it sure looked like it was headed ... right at him! Kende stepped quickly back away from the ledge. Just in time, too, as the fiery missile impacted with the ledge right where he had been standing moments before. The flaming rock bounced off the hard rock of the ledge scattering sparks. It bounced a time or two, then rolled across the ledge straight toward. It slowed as it neared him, finally coming to rest against his foot, hitting his armor with a faint *tink* sound. Kende stared at the rapidly cooling rock. He moved his foot back and squatted to get a better view. It was about the size of a large walnut. Following a strange compulsion, he reached down and picked it. It was uncomfortably hot in his hands, even through the steel of his gauntlet, and the linen padding underneath. But, oddly, it was not quite hot enough to burn his hand. He held up the rock and inspected it closely. Little waves of fire washed hypnotically across the surface of the rock as the ash on the surface burned off. Kende's mind drifted as he stared...
Kende blinked, then blinked again. He looked around, to see some of his men standing close at hand, despite his orders for them to remain back near the stone shrine some ways back. The men had a concerned look on their faces. One of them had reached forward and touched his shoulder, pulling him away from the visions. "General Kende? General, are you alright?" Kende stared at them uncomprehendingly for a few seconds. He closed has fist around the rock and answered. "Yes, yes. I'm fine." "m'Lord, you were staring at that stone for so long. We were worried that something had happened, or that the volcano might try again, and not miss this time." Kende waved them back. "No, it's alright. We'll be leaving shortly. Get the men ready for the journey back to Siver in the morning." The men nodded in acknowledgment, then turned and headed back to the shrine where the rest of the soldiers remained. Kende stood and opened his fist. The rock laying in his palm was just a rock. Still warm, but no longer the hot volcanic fragment it had once been. Just a lump of warm, black rock. As he turned it over in his palm the outer shell started to flake and fall away. Using both hands he began to peel off the coating, almost as if he were peeling a fruit. When the outer coating was gone, he could see the light glinting off the surface of a rough stone. It looked like some type of uncut gemstone. Kende closed his fist around the stone once more. With a final glance toward the flaming volcano, he turned and headed toward the shrine and the waiting soldiers. As if in farewell the volcano flared briefly, sending another small shower of flaming stones into the air. Most of them died out as they came down and hit hard rock. But some found ready fuel, and a few small fires started to burn. | |
| Kende Indirik (General of Darka) | |
