Written by: Emma "Chrysanta" Harvey
Hello Friends!
If you haven’t met me, I am called Dream Mender Chrysanta Morris, Oathsworn of Voraniss! You may not know this but I have been quite timid but eager to write on The View since I am still very new to the Realms! Please forgive me if my account is a little fuzzy at parts as my main form of worship to the god I follow, God Galbash, is sleeping. I will give the best account a sleepy Faun can give!
Now, to start us off, we have been fortunate enough to know that a lot of Voranians have good rapport with many of the Novem, the Stonewood pantheon of Gods. So we made sure to remind everyone to keep their needs, feelings, and any special offerings in mind during our time searching for Horadric Stones, fragments of memories of Horadrim passed on. We also did a lot of fighting against undead as we started this search through many rifts. Seven in total!
(Not all at once, mind you but let me get back on track–)
Once all of that madness was over, most tucked in for the evening but Voraniss and a few others participated in a Voranian Wish Burning ceremony. For those unaware, it is a time to wish for something before the coming harvest in the autumn. Not everyone shared their wishes but I will share mine: I wished for continued strength for our family, our pack, our nation!
The next morning came to us with the brave nation of Invictus leading a charge against Mana Golems! It was so scary and loud, I had to excuse myself to the little Faun’s room… However, Invictus was more than able to fight through! And won! Yay!
That’s when it came to our attention that we had been taking too much from the Novem and not giving enough. The Novem are very persnickety when it comes to asking for their favor and I knew exactly what to do! That’s when I made sure to organize a ritual circle to offer a sacrifice to them, thanking the gods for their continued assistance while we were in their lands. (A quick thank you to my mentor Friend Merrix and his adorable familiar Friend Váya, Friend Zula, and Friend Tao for participating in this ritual. It was the first time I felt confident in leading a ritual and I am very glad to have had all of your help!)
It was then time to start going through the rifts, we were led by a Horadrim (was it…. Joseph? Jordan? I am so sorry, Friend!). Each rift had its own… let’s say, unique quality to it. With Dire Bats [Friend Rowan, you need to help control your bat friends!], Undead, Demons, and many more! All of the rifts contained one of the seven stones we needed, including a different trial attached to each rift, but before nightfall, we had at least three of the seven stones.
I was only able to observe through my dreams the events of that night as I had already seen in a Prophecy of a powerful item known as the Soul Crucible being guarded by a minion of The Rogue Angel Malthael known as Drygha. Luckily, my friends were more than capable of destroying such an awful thing and defeating that horrible minion! There was also this very scary Demon simply known as “The Butcher”! Very scary! Though, from what I understand, there was a price to pay for the safety of Friend Hygar who almost lost his life to the Soul Crucible and now everyone physically present now has to owe God Thane a favor.
As morning came once more, we were able to finish with three more rifts and gain three more stones. Trials that felt more difficult than the battles against the bats and undead… Before we thought we were to enter the seventh and final one, a leader of the Horadrim known as Friend Deckard Cain appeared before us with a familiar face. Friend Deckard Cain then informed us of what our other Horadrim friend, Friend Jacob (I remembered his name!) used to be the champion of Justice and the previous owner of the sword El’Druin?! (Very powerful!) So he went to the final rift while we were away and helped us get the final stone as a thank you for obtaining the other six.
While my report comes to a close and I reflect on this weekend, I want to quickly say thank you to all of our friends who showed up as everyone was a wonderful help no matter how little they believed they contributed.
I have been meditating more and more on the concept of “Good and Evil”, something that I only know mostly through fairy tales and other stories from my home back in the mors of the Fae Wilds. I know not everyone is truly good nor truly evil, if I’m honest. After all, The Rogue Angel was once a being of good: an angel. I say this not to point fingers at who is ‘good’ or ‘evil’ in our realm, but to reflect that even those with the purest of hearts can easily be tainted. We all need to reflect on that, even me.
We need to stick together. We all are fighting for one cause: to protect the Realms we live in. I am but a Faun navigating a world who hears I am Fae and assumes the worst. I understand many of you are hurt from what people of my birthplace have done. I cannot change that past for you nor can my apologies wash away the blood they spilled. What I hope to do is let you know that I am a friend to all who wish it and I am here to mend the world. One dream at a time.
Sweetest of Dreams,
Dream Mender
Chrysanta Morris
Friend of the Realms