Firiona Vie Everquest

As they set out from the harbor Remis looked smugly down on his father, tied to the tiller by the power of his sons dreamcontrol. He thought how fitting it was that he looked so dazed, as that is how he saw him most of the time... dazed and blind to the way his ideals were leading the great tribe to the slaughter. Not so much like wolves were his people but more so like sheep, caught in the awe of their shepherds majesty. Idiots all he thought. Stormfollower hadn't the brutality necessary to fight off their enemies. This is why Remis had left them and the reason he sought to gain his fathers role as their leader, though none of them could he truly call friend. He would lead them to the greatness his father spoke of so often. He would do it without him. The smile he saw that lay across Stormfollowers face was a good indication that the dream power held strong. As long as he entertained his father and kept him content it would be far easier to control his real world movements.

While they had been in the bar Remis had to use his full will to control his father enough to set him upon the gangsters and he was forced to let the bard escape for fear of loosing control. He had slipped fully into the dream to make things solid within it. This dreamworld was fully of his making and had no ties to either the spiritrealm or the real world though he could make things happen there that mimicked the real world perfectly or contrive therein a fantasy that no one had ever dreamed of before.

As he reflected on his mighty powers Remis gazed back towards the wharf just as Jetamio let loose her eagles cry. For a moment he felt faint. Shock and horror flashed across his mind causing him to momentarily loos his grip on his fathers dream. For those few moments Stormfollower was left in control of his own path there and he wondered why he was sailing his boat through the skies. Remis caught hold of the phantasms once more. Guiding them in the way he could control the shamans physicality. Seeing his mother in full chase was a dangerous development, he would have to concentrate harder to pull this off.

They turned now to the north, running with the wind under full sail. Remis sat himself down in the cockpit beside his father and sent his mind wholly into the dreamrealm.

"Far simpler to control him once he`s dead." he muttered as he sank into the pleasant realm he had cocooned his fathers thoughts and will within.

Radha raised a finely curved red eyebrow at Myrikel strange request. Her mother normally came herself, and her sending a messenger put her more on edge than the fact she had been sent for. She politely excused herself from the High Priestess and picked up her sword, securing it safely across her back. She tried to ignore the sense of foreboding that kept resurfacing in her mind lately, and quickly followed Myrikel to their rendevous.

Meanwhile Jetamio continued her frenzied chase. What exactly was going on she was not sure, but she knew with all her heart that something was terribly wrong. She saw the vessel change course towards the North, and adjusted her own course accordingly, cutting across the water to gain some distance upon the stone vessel. She was not sure if the strange ship relied on the winds for speed, but it was worth a shot. Still running, she invoked the winds to blow from the North to slow down the ship and let her catch up.

Myrikel brought the young knight to her parents, who after a quick introduction, explained as much of the situation as they knew. Sineliniel pulled the small orb from her pouch and hoped Jetamio caught the one that she tossed to her.

"Radha is with us and we are on our way."

Gilliadson offered Radha a ride on his Holy Steed. "Do you have your Holy Steed yet? If not you may ride with me."

Sineliniel and Myrikel jumped onto their mounts. Myrikel quickly switched her sense of Radha's lovebond to Jetamio's end who, thankfully was still within her range.

"We must hurry! Lady Jetamio will be beyond my range soon"

The wind bent its path now at Jetamios request and swung around from the north. The boom of the sturdy vessel jibed violently to port to adjust its luff, narrowly passing above the seated pairs heads. They would have to tack their way, beating the wind, to make any progress at all now. The ship slowed by half as Stormfollower began his zigzag course onward into the breeze.

Within the dream Remis adjusted the winds to match so that Stormfollower could still maintain his control of the real world helm. Even though he had been to sea many times with his father in the past he had payed little attention to what he had tried to teach him there and he had no idea how to control the vessel without him.

As Jetamio closed on them the dream master adjusted the last few details in Stormfollowers visions. In the real world the shaman was no longer smiling. He scowled and muttered unintelligably as events unfolded within his head. Remis would now have to juggle between the real world scene of he and his mother and the lucid dream he directed his father through. This would be a real test for his powers. He would have to place his trust in his mothers unconditional love to see the deceit carried out now. That and her innocence about tribal customs were his only spin he might put on this situation. Checking his grip on his fathers mind one last time he opened his eyes to see his mother approaching the stern, a look of grave concern on her beautiful (even by elven standards) elven face.

Radha accepted Gilliadsons offer of a ride, having not yet earned her own horse. She sensed her brother wasn't far away, but she also sensed something wasn't right.

By this time Jetamio had caught up, despite Stormfollowers attempts to zigzag into the wind. This particular maneouver had confused her for she had rarely gone to sea, much preferring the land. She landed gracefully upon the deck, behind both her husband and Remis. Stormfollower did not seem to have noticed her arrival but Remis evidently had. She looked between the two, and spoke Storms name. Wether he didn't hear her or ignored her she couldn't decide, and then she remembered the wind. With a soft word in a language lost to time, the wind stopped suddenly, returning to the gentle breeze. Now she did not have to contend with the roar of the wind for her husbands attention.

"Storm, what are you doing?"

When he still didn't answer, she walked over to him and touched his shoulder.

Gilliadson quickly caught up to his wife and daughter as they followed Myrikel's sense to the bay. The three touched their flight rings and floated above the water as they rode toward the vessel. They could make out three figures on the deck as it came within view and knew that they were Stormfollower, Jetamio and another, presumably Radha's twin brother.

The three steeds closed in quickly on the vessel which now was moving slowly in the gentle breeze that barely filled her sails.

Fluffy brought up the rear of the group.

The Arch Mage held a position twenty meters off the starboard side of the vessel has the other two steeds boarded. Fluffy held his position at his mistress' side awaiting her command.

Sineliniel pulled a small orb from her pouch.

"P`Nala, prepare yourself and make haste to the port of Qeynos. Your assistance may be needed here."

Back at the Shadowbane Estate, the young Teir`Dal quickly grabbed her gear and departed.

"On my way M'Lady!"

Remis spoke calmly "He is in a trance mother, and he has asked that we use no majics or summon any spirits while at sea" He looked at Stormfollower proudly and smiled. "He said he could find the way more easily from the spirit realm."

Stormfollower angrily pushed aside the boom traveler to re-adjust the sails in the returning south wind. The jib snaped to starboard and he allowed the mainsail to follow it. "Jibing!" he called hollowly still scowling. Remis knew enough to duck. The boom swung across the deck safely in front of Jetamio.

"It is the only way he can be saved...this place he goes to now by instinct, were he to awake he would be overcome by his possession again. We must be very careful not to rouse him." He reached over and placed his hand on the huge mans other shoulder. "Your presence here might call him forth. If that happens the beast within him will surely take full control. Perhaps you should allow us shamans to proceed with this delicate ritual of exorcism.I will send word once we arrive there"

"My love" His voice distant, Stormfollowers free hand reached up and somehow managed to touch Jetamios softly through all its callouses, but then snapped back down hard to double hand the tiller. Though the ship was sailing smoothly he bent down putting his shoulder into the task. His furrowed brow set hard now on the northern horizon, his eyes scanning intently as if for some invisible threat. The moon sank low now in the west and basked the world in a calming silver hue.

North and west they sailed, blown by a strong warm wind, following the coast of the Qeynos Hills. The city itself fell further behind them, her walls illuminated by the moonset. The undulating reflections of her towers heralding the coming of the morning.

Jetamio hesitated. While by no means a master of the Spirit Realm, she knew more than Remis likely gave her credit for. She had travelled it once, almost costing her life in the process, and the memory of that was enough to make her pause. But that had been long ago, and she had not known then what she knew now, things about the world and things about herself.

Storm's touch of her cheek held her frozen for a moment as she battled with the urge to wake him. Remis might be telling the truth, but at the same time Jetamio knew that her husband was no killer. She glanced back towards the city looking for the others and spotted them off the starboard side. She was relieved to see Radha with them, but then a chill ran down her spine at her daughters expression. The young paladins gaze was focused on her brother, a mixture of anger, disgust and tortured love.


Sitting behind Gilliadson, Radha still had a good view of the boat. But she didn't need to see what was happening. With his full attention on their father, Remis had not sensed them approach. There was little the twins could hide from each other, and at that moment Radha saw with shocking clarity what Remis had done to Stormfollower. A soft gasp escaped her but she said nothing else aloud, instead speaking to her brother through their link.

"What in the name of all that is holy are you doing to Father?!"


From the ship Jetamio watched her daughter, then glanced again at Stormfollower and Remis. Putting her trust in her childrens bond, she decided to take a chance on waking Stormfollower. But she would not wake him from here. She took a deep breath and stepped forward into the place between Spirit and Reality. Her form shimmered, becoming insubstantial but still visible to all in both realms. Only her eyes, which now shone in an ethereal shade of gold seemed real. It was easier this time than when she had done it to Tajer in the Faydark, but it still took effort. The winds that Stormfollower fought with in his trance now buffeted her ethereal form, but she ignored it and moved round to the front of Stormfollower. She watched his expression for any sign of recognition, anything like the Shaman she loved. She wanted to touch him again but knew that she couldn't without lessening her grip on Reality. While she walked the fine line between the realms she was both invincible and powerless. None could harm her, but she could also do nothing.

"Storm?"

Gilliadson and Radha approached the vessel and landed on the deck away from the boom. Myrikel's mount landed beside her father's Holy Steed. Gilliadson helped Radha down and dismounted before dismissing his horse back to the spirit realm. Myrikel felt the lovebonds from everyone but Remis. She felt much darkness in him.

The ship Remis had Stormfollower guiding was much larger than Goblin but had the same layout and lean lines to her. He held the tiller with both hands here too.

"Out of the way love" He said, not unkindly but with a somewhat blunt urgency. "There is a cloud formation coming in from the north east I must be wary of." He craned his neck to see past her.

The flew swiftly amongst dark clouds, the ship seemingly buoyed by a thick nimbus which obscured everything below. Whisps of thin miasmatic mist whipped across the deck and spun off the stern of the great vessel. Stormfollower made course corrections constantly straining against the resistance of the ironwood tiller. His face was as stern as it had ever been in the worst of conflicts and a good sweat flowed from his brow as he battled the storm force winds. But although the outward signs of his struggle looked as if they might daunt him Jetamio detected a familiar glint in the shamans eyes which both gleamed bright and strong. He was enjoying this!

Remis stood to his fathers side staring in shock at his mother. "Mother dear, I do believe it is best we leave father alone to his task at hand. The dangers of navigating the air are something which require much concentration." His eyes pleaded with her from within his dream. But in the real world they shut fast and his body there slumped suddenly to the deck of the material Goblin.

The ship Stormfollower guided across the guarding sea that early morning, now full with his friends and family, should have had the man full of joy and life. Yet there he sat, oblivious even to the horror in his daughters heart. He starred intently into the distance, poised ready to reef the sails in at a seconds notice.

Gilliadson seeing the lad fall to the deck, and Stormfollower's condition of not acknowledging the presence of his old friend knew something was not right. The knight also knew that this was apparently a family affair and should not interfere unless his friends were in iminent danger. Sineliniel stood watch and kept pace with the vessel while Fluffy kept himself between it and his mistress. Myrikel stood beside her father.

"Something is not right with the young man, Father. I cannot feel his love-bonds."

Myrikel turned her attention to Stormfollower and felt for the bond between him and Jetamio. It was there, though it seemed that something was clouding it just a little. If she needed to, she could use her will on it and bring it to the surface but she did not know what effect that would have. The bond was strong despite it's slight obscurity.

Sineliniel cast her call spell and P`Nala appeared by her side. If anyone could make out what was going on it would be this mistress of the mind...

Onward they sailed through the wind and the waves with a dreamer at the tiller and his guide now slipped into it with him . The dream led the dreamer and the little ship sailed blindly into a wrecking.
Many leagues up ahead the Satyrs Spear, a large ship, heavily laden with ale and pelts from Everfrost was making her leeward tack to Qeynos unawares that the Goblin Queens captain was no longer observant of the conventions standard to local seamanship.

Within the dream the clouds now boiled. Stormfollower held his course and attended each bump with subtle movements of the tiller.

Remis stared at him mother. His eyes narrowed as if he were discerning the next move of a wild cat bent on having him for breakfast. With his hold on the dream made firmer by his letting go of consciousness in the real world he had intensified conditions hereto keep his father fully occupied while he dealt with his mother. He had never before been joined in a dream by another lucid dreamer. His mother seamed fully aware that this was not reality. Even his master Necromancer had not held his grip on reality as firmly as she. "These elves are strong in this realm" he thought. He would have to commit fully to his hold on his father and use that to his advantage. His mother was most assuredly beyond the reach of any influence from this dream.

He took a step back, away from his father and mother to the furthest aft position in the cockpit. from there he stepped up on the the small raised transom deck upon which his father sometimes stood to get a better view in crowded harbors. Peering over the edge he addressed Jetamio coldly.

"It would be a shame if all this effort was for nothing. If the ancient traditions of our people could not be given the space they require to properly set right this malady of sorts." His eyes gestured briefly at Stormfollower. "As only an initiate shaman I may be weak in the ways of spirit summoning but Oxbalm has taught me well the rituals involved in mind righting." He paused for a few moments drawing in a long breath before continuing with a sigh. "I must save him mother, this disease cannot be let to run rampant and this is the traditional way with wich we deal with it. Please. ..Do not change his course."

Alone at the tiller the great shaman of the northron tribes continued to fight against the phantasmal winds. He payed little attention to his sons discource with his mother. Their way together was their way, his way was his. His job was clear. He must see this ship to its destination safely. Its precious cargo must not meet harm. Alone he would have to handle this task, alone he would see it through. Nothing could distract him now. His focus became poignard sharp. One degree starboard,.. hold for the wave, two degrees port, keep the sails taught. He and the elements together as one, bound by their need to fight each other. He was never more connected then when he was this alone. The matters of his leadership would wait, the matters of his family would wait, his friends would wait and his enemies would wait now too. The importance of the destination took all precedence. The point of final harbor for this trip would make their loss of him seam paltry. When the docks of that good harbor finally held the Goblin Queens lines.

But where was that again? What port were they to head for? He knew this was the way. But where was it they headed and what was it they would do? ....No matter it would come back to him soon. All there was now was the angle with which to attack next wave and the tack to which he might beat the current.

"P`Nala, see if you can figure out what is going on with Master Stormfollower. I am going to leave Fluffy with you all and make sure that the way stays clear for you all." Sineliniel directed the Enchantress.

P`Nala, though young in age was a master of her craft having already obtained her Occulus of Persuasion recently. P`Nala bent her will toward Stormfollower as she boarded the vessel. As she probed his mind she could feel the presence of the other two inside it. The young enchantress turned to Gilliadson.

"Lord Gilliadson, there is a party going on inside his mind and I am afraid that we were not invited."

"Can you help him?"

"I can try. I will just have to crash the party. The young male here seems to have a firm grip in there but I cannot discern to what end. I may be able to loosen it with my presence and perhaps Lady Jetamio can do something."

"This is your realm, M'lady. Do what you feel is best."

P`Nala sat on the deck and willed herself to join in on the dream inside Stormfollower's mind...

In the dream, a young Teir`Dal Child appeared slightly behind Jetamio...

She felt helpless as the ship continued northward. She was afraid to wake Stormfollower for fear of harming him, but she feared for them all on this breakneck voyage. Her sons words were heard, but she could also see the Satyrs Spear up ahead on a heading right towards them.

She looked back at Remis. "So you intend to let him run right into that ship and kill us all? That I cannot allow..." with that she pulled herself fully into the spirit realm, her mortal body falling to the deck in reality. She kept a loose mental hold on her body, knowing that coming back from the Spirit Realm had always been what caused her such trouble.

She smiled wryly at her sons surprise at her ability. "I guess Mathyius was right." She knew he wouldn't know what that meant, but did not stop to explain. Turning her attention to the dream, she raised a hand to the sky, then brought it down and across her. A sharp and powerful blast of wind buffeted the side of the vessel, stirring the waves below with it to push the Goblin Queen out of the path of the Halasian trade ship. She could feel Stormfollower attempting to compensate, and brought forth another stronger gale. So long as they were out of the path of the other ship, she did not care what heading they continued on afterwards.

She then sensed another presence and glanced behind her to find a Tier'Dal child. She hesitated, realising who it was but decided she'd have to place her trust in her. "Help him, I'll protect you." She lessened the force of her winds now that they were out of immediate danger, and turned her full attention to Remis while P'Nala dealt with the matters of the mind.

"This is ridiculous Remis, what happened to you? I know he would never harm anyone, he had perfect control over the wolf. Only outside influence could make him do anything dangerous... you did it didn't you? You had him in this...dream, since last night havent you?"