Rebirth, Renew, Restore.

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TheSunTheSunTheSunTheSun
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Rebirth, Renew, Restore.

Post by TheSunTheSunTheSunTheSun » Tue Nov 03, 2020 4:07 pm

Volume One: History

Hope and I arrived in Cordor to preach the word of the Holy Sun, the dawn that will end all nights, and I could not have anticipated the charge before us. We had expected to join an order of Knights, to fight alongside them against evil foes, and to preach the word of redemption through fire and service. Instead, the foes that beset the island were far more insidious and ancient, devoid of a face and a name. Despair and cynicism. We are truly blessed, for they are powerless in front of true believers.

The first we heard of our brothers and sisters in faith was not the Radiant Heart, nor the Gauntlet, nor the Knights of the Road. Not even our own church of Lathander, sun be upon him, which was but two members who said the view of the church was damaged in the eyes of laymen. Before all this we were introduced time and again to the tale of Light Keep. We heard many myths and rumors, and it became clear that this was what we were seen as. This is what paladins were on the island. Fallen heroes, refugees from a better world.

So we investigated. We spoke to elves that had been alive at the time the keep fell, spoke to descendants of those who had once served the Triad's city. Each revelation was worse than the last. The question is not "How did Benwick fall?" The question is how did it not fall sooner. Vassalized to fiendish warlocks and the underdark. Drow walked its streets. Its heroes were either corrupt or so inept as to be worse than willing pawns of evil. The truth of it is hidden under so many layers of shame, so many righteous souls who do what they can to try to preserve the illusion that Benwick fought to the end. But it is a lie, and to lie is to sin.

So we turned to redemption, to tomorrow. Why had eighty years passed without change? Attempts had been made to retake the city or alter the gate. Six that we know of, marking us as the holy seventh. Each time the story is a little different. Most end with the righteous betrayed from within, over-eager for allies and uncritical of their fellows, or turning upon each other in suspicion and distrust. Some are simply efforts made by evil itself, ultimately not successful for there are easier ways to power. The first attempt of note to us is the Sword of the Light. Granted by holy Celestia and eventually finding itself in the hands of Berenor Silverwind, it was said to be able to close the gate, but was instead wielded against the plane of shadow until it's wielder was corrupted, killed, and the sword eventually destroyed into shards that even then had been lost. It only serves us now as a cautionary tale.

Second, and more promising, was the tale of Amadeo Pnuema, who knew of the planes as a result of the construction of the Astrolabe. Rumors were that he was in possession of a number of holy beads, part of a greater artifact that could attune the gate elsewhere. So we left in search of him, leaving marble signs upon each planar connection to the machine-gate.

We were opposed in this task through words and deeds. I believe that ignorance, not evil, guided most of the hands against us. Others came forward to tell us they thought Amadeo dead or gone, involved in a purge aimed at the Harpers. We will continue to maintain the stones, continue to hope, but we must go forward without him. And so the next step of the plan is considered. There were no artifacts, no easy routes, no final solutions. Just us and the dawn against darkness.

-Faith Solarheart, Hammer 24, 167 AR.
- Faith Solarheart

TheSunTheSunTheSunTheSun
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2020 10:37 pm

Re: Rebirth, Renew, Restore.

Post by TheSunTheSunTheSunTheSun » Tue Nov 03, 2020 4:32 pm

Volume Two: The Year of Marches

Most of 166 AR was spent organizing raids and marches into the city. Avernus maintains a garrison in Light Keep that can be easily pushed back by our fury and zeal. However, even suffering no losses and moving fully into the wastes to deal with the enemy command structure on the opposite side of hell, it is clear that this is not a tenable war of attrition for us alone. The Dawnfire encampment serves as a staging point, able to orchestrate the raids before they're undertaken. The main objective must be the gate, sealing it to one side or closing it, or otherwise finding the support to maintain our own garrison that can hold against a concentrated infernal assault. This is apparent to even the most novice of tacticians.

Throughout 166 the attempt was made at diplomacy. Brogendenstein was approached first, the Thane promised the aid of warriors in decisive action or individual support in patrols, but did not provide long-term support of the endeavor and would not promise any treaty or sovereignty in recognition of effort alone. The gate had to first be dealt with. Myon's Regent sanctioned the existence of the camp, but equally did not wish to provide support or any political recognition. Guldorand's leadership strongly opposed the Dawnfire Crusade, as at this point the Orthodox church of Lathander had declared us heretics, and the Shields were irritated by our methods to aid them in their war with the Void Cult. Bendir's captain was contacted, but ultimately no meeting has yet to pass. Cordor's leadership is largely avoided, for it tends towards isolationist policies and abides evils we cannot. The Heartwood grove pledged its support and approval, but it is not a monolith and some within the ranks oppose us in the name of a balance I do not understand - for there are devils here but no angels, surely there is no balance.

Secular organizations, therefore, provide no mundane solution. We must turn to the faithful. In this pursuit an armory is opened in Cordor and by the end of 166 and into 167, our focus shifts into recruitment of new Crusaders and the construction of a reservoir for the light to be placed in the Keep.

If successful, our hope is to encourage further pilgrim-marches to establish tangible objectives and success in the Keep. If they can see progress, perhaps they will come to know that the dawn is rising before them.

-Faith Solarheart, Hammer 24, 167 AR.
- Faith Solarheart

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