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| Action Id: 3232 | Crisis: | Participants: Jeffeth, Selene, Shard, Carmen, Riagnon, Umbroise, Jennyva, Isobella, Lothar and Tescelina(RIP) | |
| Status: Resolved | Submitted: March 27, 2019, 2:56 p.m. | Public: True | GM: Puffin |
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Action by Jeffeth
A group is gathered. Some he knows far better than others, they are not all his closest of allies, not all his closest of friends. But they are, in Jeffeth's eyes: Good people. Good in their different ways. All good in different ways and on their different paths. On the thirteenth hour, on the thirteenth day, this motley group joins the large man in the Lower Boroughs. In the Tragedy. Where Jeffeth grew up. Where Martin died. Thirteen candles are lit as Jeffeth welcomes each person with a warm smile and a tight hug. When the thirteenth hour begins, Jeffeth starts the ritual.
"Compassion." Jeffeth rumbles lowly. The first tabard Jeffeth ever owned, the one given to him by Brother Martin, the only father he ever knew is burned. The man tells a short story about Brother Martin. A story about how Martin once lied to a guard, a guard who caught a child who stole from Martin. A hungry child. But Martin had compassion on the boy and spared him from punishment. That child would later become Jeffeth's brother, Andry.
"Love." A stuffed corgi is put to the flame. Jeffeth's eyes welling up. "Our greatest strength and greatest weakness." He offers no story, yet watches the corgi burn.
"Passion." A mask of a fawn is placed in the flame. "It can drive us to go beyond who we are and what we are. With it we can achieve much." He tells a story of how he danced with a woman in a fawn mask. How their passion transported them to another place entirely, how their passion would empower them and enable them in their stories to come.
"Generosity." A toy knight is placed over the fire and burned. Jeffeth tells a story of how Brother Martin learned to carve, just to give some of the children at the orphanage toys like other children had.
"Humility."
And on and on it goes. Thirteen ideals, thirteen sacrificed items. The ritual all told is one where something dark becomes light. Where something tarnished becomes clean. The big man tells a quiet story after each ideal. And slowly, so very slowly, a grander story is told. Historic wrongs being made right. If scars can't be healed, at least a salve is put on them. Something soothing and warm.
It's a story of turning from the past and looking to the new. While being aware of the past, things must be set new. Hearts must be turned, kindness must be offered.
Action by Shard
Shard is here to watch and listen, and watching and listening is pretty much all she intends to do, unless something should somehow go catastrophically wrong. She'll stand silent witness to the ritual from start to end.
Action by Umbroise
Umbroise is honored by Sir Jeffeth's request to support and witness his cleansing ritual. While she has no real use for magic herself, she understands the importance of what he is trying to accomplish. She will be there to witness, and to lend her support, and to learn.
Action by Carmen
Carmen Harol joins Sir Jeffeth's whatever-this-is, polite but skeptical, listening attentively, one member of this motley crew of good people. She says little, grins where appropriate for the stories, and seems to be taking her social cues from the Whisper on what to do during a whatever-this-is.
Action by Lothar
Lothar is fascinated to see the ritual in person, and returns Jeffeth's greeting warmly when they gather on the thirteenth day. He watches the burnt offerings and listens to Jeffeth's tales in thoughtful, studious silence.
Action by Jennyva
Jennyva has no idea what's going on.. But everything's fine! She asists doing whatever she can for the ritual, watching and learning as best as she can.
Action by Selene
Selene is one of those excellent observers. She listens and pays close attention to Jeffeth's every action. The stories bring out smiles when delightful, sorrow when called for. Not a word from her til the end, but she will watch all the same.
Action by Isobella
As a witness to the Knight Commander's ritual of cleansing, Isobella watches with polite interest, her cool visage warmed slightly when Jeffeth speaks of her protege, his younger brother Andry Bayweather. What makes a person good? What landed her on this list? And who would scoff if they heard tell of it? All irrelevant in the moment, and she's here with her support.
Action by Riagnon
Everybody knows that if you give a bear a cookie, he (or she!) is gonna want a glass of milk. Just in case there ARE suddenly bears at this ritual, Riagnon isn't bringing cookies so much as... a layer cake of white chocolate curled torte with edible pearls and flourishes. As for the other thing - he's just gonna trust that there will be Oathlanders around with milk. What were we talking about?
Action by Tescelina(RIP)
Tescelina stands as witness to Jeffeth's cleansing, listening to his story and -- of course -- learning all that she can from the ritual.
Result
On the thirteenth hour of the thirteenth day, Jeffeth prepares his rite of cleansing. He gathers in the Tragedy - home to him, a place of much memory, good and bad. A place where childhood memories linger. Where the death of Brother Martin still haunts the halls. Where children's laughter hangs in the air.
And he lights his candles and starts by speaking of compassion. Then love, and passion and generosity. He has a big heart, does Jeffeth, and the sound of children playing comes echoing through the corridors of the Tragedy. The more he speaks, the more it feels like some momentous time.
This is the time. This is when - and where - the next generation will be built. They are all building for the children, to leave them something better. Something stronger. Old wounds healed. Wrongs made right. A fresher, cleaner world, given to these children - the ones who have been, the ones who are, the ones who yet will be.
Yes, there's love and laughter that linger in the air as his rite concludes. Love, and laughter, and hope bright and sure, like a warm hug that brings comfort even against the darkest times. Things are getting better, aren't they just?