Luitolf Family/Edelyn/Confirmation of a Thunderborn

Roleplay from Calypso Hwitt

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Calypso's transport ship finally docked in the crowded harbor. It looked as if they were dozens, hundreds of ships in Golden Farrow and the city was abuzz with activity at a level Calypso had never seen. Where once she had been lost, not in her right mind, as she made landfall, now she stood proud before her men. Her hair had begun to blonde from her time spent in the sun on the island, and she had to admit she rather liked the look. Her pale blue hauberk swung in the breeze, she always preferred to wear her armor, even at sea. She was Thunderborn now, and felt she needed to provide a certain image to both the faithful...and non-faithful. As they landed, Calypso bade her soldiers see to their various tasks, obtaining equipment and reinforcements. But Calypso was a woman with a purpose. She walked quickly, her steps long. Her sword clattered at her side as she walked toward the Church of the Tidemother, there to finally take the formal oath of loyalty to the Tidemother and assume her position as Thunderborn in actuality. Captain Xena followed close behind, carrying as she so now often did the holy text of the Church. She had taken to reading it often in the doldrum in Dizeddo. Calypso was excited and nervous at once. She looked forward to seeing Edelyn again, the woman to whom she owed so much. Perhaps she would even see the Autarch Solomon again. She thought back often and fondly to her dinner with the man. But in the back of her head she knew why she was here...the deamons were on the march, and surely meant no good to the world of men. They were the servants of the Void Gods, Edelyn had taught her, and no good could come of them. Calypso had heard tales and rumors that the leader of the Zuma, this Kettle was a terrifying yet beautiful creature...such beauty was a lie, she knew. No creature born of the evil void can create something beautiful, one would be more likely to find dry water or cold heat. These were the thoughts Calypso thought on as she walked through the busy streets to the church.

Calypso Hwitt

Roleplay from Kophyn D'Espana

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The two men marched away from the noisy repair shops and smiths, rerouting to avoid crossing the massive marketplace and the thousands of peasants, traders and artisans currently gathered there. Kophyn would've normally not considered taking the detour, but the figure of the Autarch attracted a lot of attention wherever he went, and neither of them wanted to deal with masses of commoners getting on their way, much less without their usual cohort of soldiers to push them away. Taking the main street after circling the marketplace, the soft glitter of the golden roofs under the gentle autumn afternoon sun was quite the spectacle and coupled together with the thousand smells (admittedly, not all of them pleasant) still coming from the marketplace, it greatly enhanced the mood of Kophyn and, judging by his smile, probably the Autarch himself. The rest of the way to the small and humble temple of the Tidemother was just a brief and pleasant walk away, and once they got there, Kophyn took a moment to readjust mentally before heading for the entrance. He remembered it being larger, but perhaps it was just his mind playing some tricks on him. Oh, how much work was there still to do, how much gold required to turn the capital's temple into the true gem it should have been from the start... But that would have to wait. The local priest and acolytes were already passing on the news about the arrival of the Stormsage and the Thunderborn, the word quickly spreading all over the small space.

Kophyn D'Espana

Roleplay from Edelyn Luitolf

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Edelyn moved throughout the small temple, wondering why she had bothered to come back. She could have done the Thunderborn ceremony in Mozyr, and she so loathed leaving the region so soon. Dalmat was doing a fine job, but it was not the same. A good portion of the population were the families of her first unit whose husbands fell fighting to take Golden Farrow in the first place. As she returned to her office, she knew the answer already. The Viscountess returned because it was the most effective place, she could be to serve the realm, even after all the events in the recent past. The Tidespeaker had not even been present for a full ten minutes before one of the local priests entered her chambers. "Madam, you have visitors in the sanctuary." The elderly gentlemen spoke, but had not one in toe, "Please come see to them at your earliest convivence." Edelyn sat there, staring at him. This was all very odd, never before had the local priests or acolytes bid her come to a visitor, always they had been brought to her. She was expecting someone, Dame Calypso, so perhaps they wanted the short ceremony to be done in public. The Tidespeaker rose from her chair and started to make her way down the hallways back to the main entrance. When she arrived, surely there she was, Dame Calypso. "Lady Calypso�" She started by trailed off. There too were the Autarch and Stormsage Kophyn. Edelyn's bright green eyes grew a bit wider at the unexpected sight. She found herself wondering what exactly was going on if Solomon had finally gone to the elders of the church. She could feel her heartbeat start to race a bit because she forced herself to calm down. "Autarch, Stormsage, tell me what brings ones as esteemed as yourselves to our little temple. Did you come to see Dame Calypso be anointed personally? She should feel honored if so, it is not every day that the ruler and my own mentor graces us for the ceremonies." Her voice came out a bit faster than usual, her last meeting with Solomon hadn't gone so well.

Edelyn Luitolf

Roleplay from Kophyn D'Espana

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"Is that so?" Kophyn looked at Calypso, trying to remember what he knew about the young dame. Not much, he decided, apart from sharing some battlefields with her back in Dizzedo. He had a keen eye for banners and heraldry and could certainly remember the lass standing her ground under the blacks, blues, and silvers of her family coat of arms. He then looked at Edelyn, who had succeeded him in the office of Tidespeaker. He didn't have an ounce of regret about that decision, for she had been doing a much better job than he did in a fraction of the time. He was a man of the road and action, vanquisher of rogues and commander of hundreds, and his time as a priest had been as uneventful as it had been underwhelming for the faith as a whole. One thing did bother him, though, for he could not quite remember the details of the ceremony to invest Edelyn as the new Tidespeaker. It hadn't even been that long ago, so it was clear that it was something else that was shrouding his memories. But whatever it was, it was of no importance right now. He looked up to meet Edelyn's eyes, a grin growing in his face as he knew exactly what he had to do. "Anointed, yes! That is certainly why we are here. After all, we have the time, and it is an honor to welcome Dame Calypso - he turned to look at the younger woman - amongst our brothers and sisters. I am Stormsage Kophyn D'Espana, former Tidespeaker and proud admirer of the legacy of my successor, Tidespeaker Edelyn. I am sure you already know Thunderborn Solomon Greybrook, our liege, and Autarch of Tol Goldora." He glanced at Solomon, amused at the coincidence and intrigued about his response.

Kophyn D'Espana

Roleplay from Solomon Greybrook

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Solomon was pleased to see Lady Calypso, yet in the Church wasn't the most appropriate occasion to discuss other matters. After shortly acknowledging Kophyn and Calypso in turn, he turned to the Tidespeaker herself after handing a nearby acolyte a bag of gold: "Greetings Tidespeaker. Life continues at a pace which normally does not leave me much time to venture into the city, let alone come to the Church for religious council or scripture. Therefore, when I found fellow member Kophyn, it was the right time to pay my respects here and my dues. As coincidence has it, I would be honoured to observe the appointment of Thunderborn Calypso, for another in the Church can only be a good thing. I was also hoping to acquire your blessing in my actions in the coming weeks, for they weigh heavy on me and I hope to understand the wisdom of the Tidemother."

Solomon Greybrook

Roleplay from Calypso Hwitt

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Calypso had been surprised to see the Autarch at the church when she arrived, a small �oh!� Escaping her lips before she could stop herself. He was standing with someone she did not know. Around the same time, Edelyn walked forward with a warm greeting and Calypso bowed low toward all three as the Tidespeaker made greetings. She wasn�t sure what to say, given the presence of three prominent individuals at the occasion and so she merely bowed again, quickly and low, and said, �My Autarch it is most assuredly a pleasure to see you again, Stormsage Kophyn it is an honor to meet you, and Lady Tidespeaker I am indeed here to pledge myself to the service of of the Tidemother as her Thunderborn.� She stood again, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword as the gravity of the situation finally sunk in. It was one thing for her to be inducted to this position, but another thing entirely to do so with the presence and blessing of the two prestigious individuals here. Her heart swelled with gratitude and pride that she should be so honored. She spoke again, �We live in trying times, and there are many vile creatures that would see Tol Goldora and the Faithful brought low. It would be my honor to stand against them, as a warrior in Her service!�

Calypso Hwitt

Roleplay from Edelyn Luitolf

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The Tidespeaker's demeanor visibly relaxed as if a hundred pounds had been lifted from her chest when hearing the Autarch's words. It seemed the ambitious ruler was here for religious reasons of another matter, and this was all coincidence. With heart no longer racing, nor her hands jittering, Edelyn smiled at the three faithful. "Autarch, first let me say, you will always have a blessing here. There is little need to pay for one. Though I do think you misunderstand, Dame Calypso is not here to be admitted to the church. She is here to be formally anointed as your fellow Thunderborn. Though I must ask, as it matters, is that a tithe or a donation that others have given?" She spoke in a gracious voice, no longer high. Turning her attention back to Calypso, Edelyn looks the girl once over. She was already sporting the Thunderborn attire to the best of her knowledge, so it seemed she was taking her emergency appointment seriously. "Once we settle what the Autarch's funds are for, I have one other question. Is it preferred to do Calypso's anointment or Solomon's blessing first?"

Edelyn Luitolf

Roleplay from Edelyn Luitolf

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Edelyn's glance darted between her peers and back to Calypso. Neither were making a decision, and she found herself wondering where the Autarch's decisiveness was at this time. Everything she had seen in the Autarch's council, and personal letters, spoke to the opposite of the way he was currently acting. Apparently, even the young Dame Calypso was noticing the lack of answer as she came forward and asked to begin the anointment. The Tidespeaker smiles, and softly steps toward Calypso, placing her hand upon the girl's shoulder, "Come, then, my friend. You are already Thunderborn in your heart, and my mind, but it is time you swore to the Tidemother truly and were blessed." Gently, Edelyn guided her postulant toward the altar. Stopping just before, she instructed Calypso to stand there while she left to gather the additional people and materials needed. Moving toward the back, she spoke to one of the acolytes, instructing him to go and gather two galecallers, two waveweavers, and two stormsingers for the Thunderborn's anointment. She herself gracefully moved and grabbed a bowl of water, placing it upon the altar. Soon, the individuals requested emerged from the back, the galecallers with their censors, waveweavers with their vials of water, and stormsingers simply with hands folded before them. The Tidespeaker rose her hands before the gathering, "My children, may I have your attention, please. You are all here on a most holy day as you get to witness the anointment of a Thunderborn. As many of you know the Thunderborn are among the most faithful and devoted of followers, they are those that take the Tidemother's will into their very soul. Normally we would ask the recipient to spend at least a night in contemplation before accepting the anointment, but Dame Calypso has been serving as a Thunderborn in everything but true name for some time. She has earned the right to forgo this, and we will perform the ceremony now. So, please, stand and bear witness to this short ritual." Other than the Autarch and Stormsage, the temple was full of mostly people paying their respects or church staff, whether clergy or clerical. All of them moved to places further back, ceased talking, and observed out of reverence. Edleyn turned her attention back to Calypso, herself. "My child, please kneel before the Altar of the Tidemother." Her voice was reverent and respectful. Once the young woman kneeled, Edelyn looked over at the Stormsingers and nodded. They each nodded respectfully in turn, and they began to solemnly sing the Song of Storms. This indicated to the Galecallers to come forward and begin circling the young Dame, their censors billowing smoke that they wafted in the Dame's direction. Gentle whiffs representing the wind danced about her face, smelling of spring itself. Together the two spoke, "May the winds that are the Wrath of the Tidemother bless your body, so that you may use her strength to defend what is hers always." Soon they took a spot behind Calypso, censor smoke still dancing around the woman, as they allowed the waveweavers to take their turn. The waveweavers approached, each taking their vials, one with waters from the inner sea and one with waters from the outer sea. "New Thunderborn, take these waters of the sea itself and be blessed in heart with the Grace of the Tidemother so that you may always know when kindness is needed. The sea provides for the faithful, and so shall you in turn." The two opened their vials, each wetting their thumbs then tracing a line across the woman's forehead, then each took one cheek and did the same downward. Now it was up to Edelyn herself. She turned and retrieved the bowl from the altar, holding it tightly in both hands. Slowly she bent down to Calypso's level and offered the bowl, "Join your hands with mine and drink heavily from the holiest of the Tidemother's lifegiving waters. With this holy water, blessed and purified, you take the Tidemother into your very soul sealing the oath you are about to swear." Once the water was consumed, the Tidespeaker took the water that was left and placed it back on the altar. "Now, praise the Tidemother and repeat your oath, and if you truly feel it in heart, body, and soul, she will accept and bless you herself." With this Edelyn began to recite the oath, which was abnormal but with the quickness of the army's typical turnaround, the help was needed. I have bear witness, Oh Tidemother, that you have risen the land from your depths for us to subsist on and are worthy of my true devotion. I swear, here and now, that you are the most holy and are truly deserving of my service above all others. Should the need arise, I promise to you everything that I am in defense of your church and all that you provided, above others if need be. I vow that as Thunderborn to serve you, for there is no other Goddess but you to help in my peril, so be it that I defend what is yours when needed.

Edelyn Luitolf