She sat under the wide canopy of the old tree near the Great Library, sword across her lap, watching the populace of Norrath ocassionally wander by as their paths took them through the Plane of Knowledge. She knew none of the faces, however, and for the fiftieth time that day she wondered if she had made a mistake.
She had left her tearful family behind in Felwithe, her parents not understanding the call from Tunare she needed to answer. A sword was a foreign thing to her parents -- their hands held lyres and flutes and sometimes a fishing pole. They couldn't have been more shocked when she told them of her plans to become a Paladin than if she had told them she wished to be an owlbear.
Faelian hefted her sword and slowly held it before her. It felt good in her hand... it felt right. Her skill with it was still meager -- to be kind -- but her trainer said she was improving every day. She just wanted to make a difference... She had seen more evidence of evil and more terrible doings in her short time out in the big world, than she had ever dreamed existed when she was sheltered behind Felwithe's walls.
She pulled out the scrap of paper that had been furtively passed to her that morning as she walked through the library, and puzzled over it again. It simply had the words "Candlelight Alliance" on it, and "the bards will know us." The piece of paper seemed heavier than it really was... and Faelian felt that there was an importance to it greater than it seemed, as well as a feeling of danger that she couldn't put her finger on. Since she had received it, she had quietly asked about the Alliance... She had gotten precious little information back, but what she did get intrigued her.
A Teir'Dal glanced darkly her way, and she quickly stuffed the scrap of paper back in her backpack. She stood and stretched, and casually gathered her things. She went back in the library, and under the guise of doing research she penned a note to the mysterious entity. When she was done, she slipped it to a bard present in the library, along with a few gold and a whispered request of discretion. The bard glanced at the addressee on the envelope, and gave Faelian a small and brief smile of knowing. Then he was off, and Faelian watched him go, wondering if such an alliance even existed. She gathered up her things again, and headed back into the sunshine of the day.
To the Candlelight Alliance ~
Greetings and good tidings to you all, whomever you may be. My name is Faelian, and I am a Paladin-in-training in devoted service to Tunare. My seasons are few... but my sword and my determination are strong. But my sword alone is not much -- I would very much like to offer whatever I can to aide your cause. The darkness cannot win... too much is at stake.
I await word from you.
In service to Tunare,
Faelian Fairwind
A message, written with hope
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