Manon of the Source
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"....when the profound principles underlying the most ancient doctrines are lost or forgotten, and when through the decay of philosophy, and through the stimulation of the sensual in nature, one loses the power to reason abstractly, "Destruction", which is symbolised by darkness or the absence of the sun's rays, finally becomes the evil principle, a Lord of Death, an outcast. Darkness and cold, which have formerly been worshipped as the powers which brought forth the sun, in process of time becomes the agency which is ever warring with good and which is constantly destroying that which the latter brings forth."
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
She asked for his judgement to be reserved until the end.
Then she gave permission to him to deal her death and stated that she may welcome it then.
Perhaps he would -conveniently- forget. Her life might be longer for it.
"You suspect I will not like what I hear"
"I think it highly likely. Just hold your judgement until all is told."
Would he walk the Inquisitor's path still?
She considered the differences in beliefs of those she encountered and listened to so far:-
A weapon in itself is evil in nature.
A weapon is merely a tool of evil when wielded by one whose nature is tainted.
One can be everyone's friend without prejudice to race or creed until actions show otherwise.
The experience of life lessons can show such lack of caution at the outset to be unfailingly unwise.
Wisdom and experience comes only with age.
Wisdom and experience comes with reliving a life.
What is written is the only truth.
The truth in word and memory lives on longer.
Then she gave permission to him to deal her death and stated that she may welcome it then.
Perhaps he would -conveniently- forget. Her life might be longer for it.
"You suspect I will not like what I hear"
"I think it highly likely. Just hold your judgement until all is told."
Would he walk the Inquisitor's path still?
She considered the differences in beliefs of those she encountered and listened to so far:-
A weapon in itself is evil in nature.
A weapon is merely a tool of evil when wielded by one whose nature is tainted.
One can be everyone's friend without prejudice to race or creed until actions show otherwise.
The experience of life lessons can show such lack of caution at the outset to be unfailingly unwise.
Wisdom and experience comes only with age.
Wisdom and experience comes with reliving a life.
What is written is the only truth.
The truth in word and memory lives on longer.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Manon removed that part of the S.I.G.I.S notice advertising for an apprentice.
She had found her apprentice in a most unexpected direction that brought test of her own belief as Godsman. Perhaps the words of one comrade were getting to her.
She took on Brot, the orog of undersigil of no orc-kin faith as her apprentice for a trial period of one month.
She tested his skill at the Forge for hours forging a cold iron katana worthy of a masterworker. He sweated, he drank gallons of water, he folded metal, he pumped iron and bellowed the great fires until she was satisfied.
He would do.
She had found her apprentice in a most unexpected direction that brought test of her own belief as Godsman. Perhaps the words of one comrade were getting to her.
She took on Brot, the orog of undersigil of no orc-kin faith as her apprentice for a trial period of one month.
She tested his skill at the Forge for hours forging a cold iron katana worthy of a masterworker. He sweated, he drank gallons of water, he folded metal, he pumped iron and bellowed the great fires until she was satisfied.
He would do.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
The Testing of an Orog
"Alright. I'll take you on for a month. But you better be prepared to work -damned- hard at two things. No, make that three."
"First. You tend the Forge at regular hours and irregular ones. Spare time? Not a chance, get your ass to the furnaces and help out."
"Second. If you work for me, I shall test you to the extreme, on planes, battlefield and in the search for resource. Understand?"
"Third. You join me on the battlefield sometimes for testing and improvement, on one proviso. If you do that, you have one priority. You damn well keep me alive."
The orog Brot grunted out his answers to Manon, each proved a level of intelligence she had not expected and slowly she came to a grudging respect enough to offer him the apprenticeship on a month's trial. She particularly liked his response to the last, showing the right potential of a comrade but she would not give him an easy ride to join.
She ordered him to the Foundry, inspected his current weapon, saw his own insignia just above its hilt then stated he could do alot better, telling him to demonstrate his technique to her by working a new weapon of his choice at the forge. She hovered over him, arms folded as, stripped of his armour to the antichamber the orog got to work first to stoke the fire up to the required heat, judging the right temperature by its hue, estimating the heat of the metal by his spit and sizzle of the heated iron.
The muscular arm worked steadily as piston as he hammered the cold iron rods to shape upon the anvil, multitasking to ensure the coals stayed hot, checking for flaw then moving to fold the metal repeatedly and dusting the metal with carbon. His technique was slow and steady as was his breathing throughout the long process, the sweat building and pouring as the orog tired after many hours but he applied himself to the work in an almost ritualistic fashion. Manon ensured that a worker brought them both plenty of drinking water throughout and when he was finally done, inspected the newly forged weapon critically.
It was good, very good, but...
"It is your weapon of preference. You need to prove to me skill in wider craft. That is what I want you to do here for your apprenticeship. The time you spend here, learn well of the others. First weapon, then armours, all kinds." She pointed to a few of the workers nearby, that were also under her supervision.
"They work on a task that gives them this training, along with a few kids from the hive who come once a week. Join them. Work hard."
He named his new blade in an orcish tongue. She refrained from sneering but could not fault the pride he took in the making of his mark to his creation nor to his efforts to make good the bench and area he had worked, tidying up the metal shavings and ash after despite his fatigue. It was clear to her also that he kept his tools, though basic and made to fit his large hands, well serviced.
As sign of goodwill for this successful initial phase of his testing she rewarded him with her own skills, taking him to the laboratory to blend her own powers to his katana, testing also his capability with alchemical blending. By ensuring his weapon was infused with her prayers to allow it to have regenerative property, would help him to achieve her third requirement.
He would do, very well in fact. She had to admit in the end.
"Alright. I'll take you on for a month. But you better be prepared to work -damned- hard at two things. No, make that three."
"First. You tend the Forge at regular hours and irregular ones. Spare time? Not a chance, get your ass to the furnaces and help out."
"Second. If you work for me, I shall test you to the extreme, on planes, battlefield and in the search for resource. Understand?"
"Third. You join me on the battlefield sometimes for testing and improvement, on one proviso. If you do that, you have one priority. You damn well keep me alive."
The orog Brot grunted out his answers to Manon, each proved a level of intelligence she had not expected and slowly she came to a grudging respect enough to offer him the apprenticeship on a month's trial. She particularly liked his response to the last, showing the right potential of a comrade but she would not give him an easy ride to join.
She ordered him to the Foundry, inspected his current weapon, saw his own insignia just above its hilt then stated he could do alot better, telling him to demonstrate his technique to her by working a new weapon of his choice at the forge. She hovered over him, arms folded as, stripped of his armour to the antichamber the orog got to work first to stoke the fire up to the required heat, judging the right temperature by its hue, estimating the heat of the metal by his spit and sizzle of the heated iron.
The muscular arm worked steadily as piston as he hammered the cold iron rods to shape upon the anvil, multitasking to ensure the coals stayed hot, checking for flaw then moving to fold the metal repeatedly and dusting the metal with carbon. His technique was slow and steady as was his breathing throughout the long process, the sweat building and pouring as the orog tired after many hours but he applied himself to the work in an almost ritualistic fashion. Manon ensured that a worker brought them both plenty of drinking water throughout and when he was finally done, inspected the newly forged weapon critically.
It was good, very good, but...
"It is your weapon of preference. You need to prove to me skill in wider craft. That is what I want you to do here for your apprenticeship. The time you spend here, learn well of the others. First weapon, then armours, all kinds." She pointed to a few of the workers nearby, that were also under her supervision.
"They work on a task that gives them this training, along with a few kids from the hive who come once a week. Join them. Work hard."
He named his new blade in an orcish tongue. She refrained from sneering but could not fault the pride he took in the making of his mark to his creation nor to his efforts to make good the bench and area he had worked, tidying up the metal shavings and ash after despite his fatigue. It was clear to her also that he kept his tools, though basic and made to fit his large hands, well serviced.
As sign of goodwill for this successful initial phase of his testing she rewarded him with her own skills, taking him to the laboratory to blend her own powers to his katana, testing also his capability with alchemical blending. By ensuring his weapon was infused with her prayers to allow it to have regenerative property, would help him to achieve her third requirement.
He would do, very well in fact. She had to admit in the end.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
A Collector's Piece - The Rubied Silver Dagger
"It will not Hildmor. Rest assured"
Guilty by association. She smirked at that thought. The storm had passed with a good rest and a leisurely wallow in water to the pool of the Gynasium after a brutal fight with a few rogue fighters. Brutal for them as they stood no chance when she unleashed the best of her worst destruction so rarely used but a prayer still remembered from a past.
Once rested she took a stint in the Foundry, not one to shirk the heat or work, but veered off after a while to concentrate on a gift to support her earlier words and her continuing relationship with the lawyer merchant Hildmor. She applied the alchemical silver to the small newly cooled daggerblade and set it aside to prepare the hilt and handle. This was a more intricate piece of work, as she sealed a deep red ruby into a fitting with more delicate handcraft metalwork to hold the gem in place, then engraved to the handle her masterworker's insignia 'M' just below the jewel.
She found him to the market in his usual place and after a brief conversation, she offered the gift for his collection. Further words on events with him and others she postponed to later time, to -better- time when her fury was well and truly under control again.
"It will not Hildmor. Rest assured"
Guilty by association. She smirked at that thought. The storm had passed with a good rest and a leisurely wallow in water to the pool of the Gynasium after a brutal fight with a few rogue fighters. Brutal for them as they stood no chance when she unleashed the best of her worst destruction so rarely used but a prayer still remembered from a past.
Once rested she took a stint in the Foundry, not one to shirk the heat or work, but veered off after a while to concentrate on a gift to support her earlier words and her continuing relationship with the lawyer merchant Hildmor. She applied the alchemical silver to the small newly cooled daggerblade and set it aside to prepare the hilt and handle. This was a more intricate piece of work, as she sealed a deep red ruby into a fitting with more delicate handcraft metalwork to hold the gem in place, then engraved to the handle her masterworker's insignia 'M' just below the jewel.
She found him to the market in his usual place and after a brief conversation, she offered the gift for his collection. Further words on events with him and others she postponed to later time, to -better- time when her fury was well and truly under control again.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Manon's Armour of Shocking Aura - stage 1
After working alongside her apprentice the orog Brot in the Foundry and Baator in training, they spent some time in the bazaar in trade and dealing in essence with one elf merchant woman Dani. Manon managed to acquire a beljuril in trade with her in exchange for sample of her master-worked spear and stave with promise to promote her mark.
It was while they worked at the market benches to apply enchants of perception to their respective scarabs that Manon broached the subject of the design for the armour with Brot, seeking his insight and assistance for both the forge of the plate and the magical fusion of power required for resistive sections and charged outer plate.
The fact that his own warlock's skill was drawn from the earth's forces bode well for creative success. For apprentice he had solid grounding in what worked in battle and his own idea for a set of armour she challenged an discussed with him in some depth. Afterwards, they set off together to meet up in the Abyss with the orc-ogre kin that had inspired the idea for this armour of hers in the first place.
How she would or could explain her joining forces with this particular race of warriors to her Commander was going to prove challenging. She had a clear truce and understanding with Brot at least on account of their mutual agreement that neither was the others 'type' and with their working relationship in the faction.
After working alongside her apprentice the orog Brot in the Foundry and Baator in training, they spent some time in the bazaar in trade and dealing in essence with one elf merchant woman Dani. Manon managed to acquire a beljuril in trade with her in exchange for sample of her master-worked spear and stave with promise to promote her mark.
It was while they worked at the market benches to apply enchants of perception to their respective scarabs that Manon broached the subject of the design for the armour with Brot, seeking his insight and assistance for both the forge of the plate and the magical fusion of power required for resistive sections and charged outer plate.
The fact that his own warlock's skill was drawn from the earth's forces bode well for creative success. For apprentice he had solid grounding in what worked in battle and his own idea for a set of armour she challenged an discussed with him in some depth. Afterwards, they set off together to meet up in the Abyss with the orc-ogre kin that had inspired the idea for this armour of hers in the first place.
How she would or could explain her joining forces with this particular race of warriors to her Commander was going to prove challenging. She had a clear truce and understanding with Brot at least on account of their mutual agreement that neither was the others 'type' and with their working relationship in the faction.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
''It is not wise to hold all ones eggs in one basket''
The meeting with Charles Goodman was fortunate in its timing. His manner of operation offered a different scope for her affairs once she heard of his specialism and own craft. Craft this time being a vessel The Sparrow made for its maneuverability and speed, to enter and land within the densest city limits but of a size that would still allow a single passenger of her own proportions and space for lighter load of cargo, not heavy freight.
What she had in mind for this was not armament shipping but more specialist deliveries and she gave to him over the drinks of cognac and water an outline of her needs. She inspected the complex maps he brought out, interesting but attuned to only one with the key to read the portals and placements marked.
The first journey she would undertake personally, and with its owner/Captain at the helm to assess his competence, efficiency and discretion before undertaking the more dangerous trip. She would request it so when she sent him her first schedule. Funding for this first trip location, would not be an issue and the distance from its dock at Tradegate would unlikely tax its limits. The other planar trip she planned, she would need to resource herself.
The meeting with Charles Goodman was fortunate in its timing. His manner of operation offered a different scope for her affairs once she heard of his specialism and own craft. Craft this time being a vessel The Sparrow made for its maneuverability and speed, to enter and land within the densest city limits but of a size that would still allow a single passenger of her own proportions and space for lighter load of cargo, not heavy freight.
What she had in mind for this was not armament shipping but more specialist deliveries and she gave to him over the drinks of cognac and water an outline of her needs. She inspected the complex maps he brought out, interesting but attuned to only one with the key to read the portals and placements marked.
The first journey she would undertake personally, and with its owner/Captain at the helm to assess his competence, efficiency and discretion before undertaking the more dangerous trip. She would request it so when she sent him her first schedule. Funding for this first trip location, would not be an issue and the distance from its dock at Tradegate would unlikely tax its limits. The other planar trip she planned, she would need to resource herself.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
She began her confession starting at a time and an age and a past when the light started to grow dark, beginning with an insight into her faith of the ancient deity. It would take some time with her work and the infrequency of meeting but that allowed her to fulfil other duties, for her penance and her cause.
She found out that he had found other 'family' and was told that she was to be 'replaced'. Given what was written to the books and the dual forces of her deity's 'blessings' channeling her powers to either extreme it was no wonder he would not wish for her 'half measures'. In his company, at best she could limit the destruction.
The Chaplain did not jump at taking on an this role of confessor, inquisitor combined also with judge and executioner but that was to be expected from the little she knew of this comrade. He was not of her belief, nor her faith yet she wanted him for part of her testing. 'Black and white' he had said. Was it ever that simple? In the meantime she aimed to relieve the 'old man' of his other burdens and troubles so that he might take on this task.
She found out that he had found other 'family' and was told that she was to be 'replaced'. Given what was written to the books and the dual forces of her deity's 'blessings' channeling her powers to either extreme it was no wonder he would not wish for her 'half measures'. In his company, at best she could limit the destruction.
The Chaplain did not jump at taking on an this role of confessor, inquisitor combined also with judge and executioner but that was to be expected from the little she knew of this comrade. He was not of her belief, nor her faith yet she wanted him for part of her testing. 'Black and white' he had said. Was it ever that simple? In the meantime she aimed to relieve the 'old man' of his other burdens and troubles so that he might take on this task.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Manon's Armour of Shocking Aura - stage 2
Calmed from a quiet episode of conversation, despite one fracas in the market place involving a drowess and a tiefling which she duly ignored, Manon returned to the Great Foundry to begin work on the metal plate parts - the back and breastplate, protective shielding for the the throat, shoulder, elbow and forearms, all interlinked. She used traditional methods, standard molds, steel ingot, fire, hammer and anvil to beat and shape the metal to form and evenness. The complexity was not in the metalwork, but in the fusion and control of power and prayer that would come after.
Her apprentice, Brot, was working on his own idea for masterworked armour. She encouraged him to persue this, welcomed discussion on the topic and relieved him at times from his stint at the forge.
Calmed from a quiet episode of conversation, despite one fracas in the market place involving a drowess and a tiefling which she duly ignored, Manon returned to the Great Foundry to begin work on the metal plate parts - the back and breastplate, protective shielding for the the throat, shoulder, elbow and forearms, all interlinked. She used traditional methods, standard molds, steel ingot, fire, hammer and anvil to beat and shape the metal to form and evenness. The complexity was not in the metalwork, but in the fusion and control of power and prayer that would come after.
Her apprentice, Brot, was working on his own idea for masterworked armour. She encouraged him to persue this, welcomed discussion on the topic and relieved him at times from his stint at the forge.
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*sugarandspice
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Manon's Armour of Shocking Aura - stage 3
His Blessings'...no 'Hers'... Manon smirked at the joke as she wraught, fought and channeled the powers of Set into the metalplates before her. She opened up old scars, added to the weathering on her hands and forearms, fusing the energies surging and crackling about her skin into the resistive inner casing and outer electrical charged smooth plates that could be activated on the right spoken words of prayer to her deity. Only once the armour was completed did she move to bandage, heal and rest.
His Blessings'...no 'Hers'... Manon smirked at the joke as she wraught, fought and channeled the powers of Set into the metalplates before her. She opened up old scars, added to the weathering on her hands and forearms, fusing the energies surging and crackling about her skin into the resistive inner casing and outer electrical charged smooth plates that could be activated on the right spoken words of prayer to her deity. Only once the armour was completed did she move to bandage, heal and rest.