Post by gatalis on Jul 5, 2012 1:57:42 GMT -5
*This tome would be bound in patched leather work anointed in holy water. The only thing keeping it closed is a leather string wrapped around and attached to a button on the other side. It would be in the possession of the Paladin at this time lest it be taken from her person. The first page would be as follows.*
If I am to be the last of Ilmater's followers to roam this island, then let this record be kept. Let it be returned to the Yellow Rose monastary should it be found by another, and let my record enter their halls as a reminder of whatever fate besets me. I am Jacia Lendetta, self-appointed Knight Commander of the Companions of the Noble Heart, and one of Ilmater's faithful.
...
I was born into nobility, given the life of luxury from a young age, the only child my mother ever beared during my time within this home. I was only begining to blossom when the clergy of Ilmater came upon me through less than savory means, and I began to follow them, pledging myself to the crying god's service behind the back of my father. I began to forsake my life of luxury, knowing that it only caused suffering.
When I was still young, far too young to be wed, my father attempted to marry me off to a Noble of high status who had recently lost his wife. He hoped to secure his power within the lands, and I remained silent, submissive. Never mentioning my commitments to the church...
It was a week before the wedding when the priests became aware of the predicament. I was forced to choose. Choose between my own family, or my service to Ilmater. Through my family I was but a tool, a pawn from which little love was shared and from which power was to be gained. Through the church, I had foudn happiness, salvation, and thus my decision was quick. For me, the church had always been my family, and it was simply a choice between honoring my bloodline, or honoring my commitments.
I was cast out for my decisions that day. The man I was to be wed to had already paid a handsome bride price, wanting me as little more than something to comfort him, and my father had already used it to increase his holdings near waterdeep. For the clergy to deny my marriage to be a week before it took place... He was furious. He would have to repay the man, or forfeit the lands he had bought, both of which were out of the question. The clergy were thrown out of the estate quickly enough. Word would spread though, and no church in the city or nearby villages would wed us at that point.
My punishment was just. For my insolence I recieved proper corporal punishment, and was disowned, thrown out into the streets with nothing more than a loaf of bread and the clothes on my back. It was then, that my mentor took me under his wing as a squire.
...
As a squire, I was first taught obediance and respect. Discipline. I was not allowed access to the barracks, and was instead required to sleep within the church grounds. I was to wake up at the toll of the bell, pray, purge myself of impurities within the sanctified bathing areas, and then enter Ilmater's holy sanctum for prayer. I would proceed to do my chores around the church, such as the cleaning of the stables, praying at the appropriate times. I would attend lessons and sermons within the sanctuary when appropriate and when not completing chores, and eat two meals a day-One after morning prayer and one before early evening prayer. After early evening prayer, I would meet with Master Holgerth for whatever lessons he would teach, usually combative in nature, head to the holy sanctum once more to confess any wrongs I had committed throughout the day to the Grand Master, serve any punishment that was to be, make the late evening prayers, and then return to my sleeping quarters to repeat the process... I was to remain silent during these times, and only speak during prayer or when spoken to by my superiors. There would be six times to pray throughout the day between waking up and going to sleep, and I had to learn during this time to live on only six hours of sleep, sometimes less when the prayer bells would ring early in the mornings, or late in the evenings.
While repetitive, dull, seemingly eternal agony for a while... These first two years served me well, and I would not trade them for anything. They enforced a stricter behavior within me, disciplined me to accept the challenges of the world... It was a relief when after this two year attunement I was allowed new sleeping quarters in the barracks. I was allowed to speak once more, and no longer had chores. I still had to wake at the bell, and sleep at the bell, but my studies after that were focused strictly on learning to be a knight, and I spent most of the day learning from my mentor or accompanying the half-orc on his daily routines. It was my job to study every encounter, every reaction, to learn from them and repeat by the end of the day what I had learned. I never recieved corporal punishment under Ilmater's gaze, only shame and chores.
I began to admire my mentor for a time, for it was he who broke me of my racist beginings. Father had always insulted the elves, dwarves, half-orcs... Referring to them as little more than garbage to be disposed of. Holgerth never said a word about my initial distate in the other races though- he simply showed me the distate that others held for him. When the other knights would be courteously addressed and bowed to, the peasants would sneer and shun master Holgerth, but he never seemed to mind. There was always a stoic smile upon his face, and afterwards he would always tell me "Jacia, this is what the oaths truly mean. I would gladly give up my life for every one of those villagers we passed by." Over time it began to click, and I would soon become accepting of any and all, no matter their background or ancestry. The other squires would taunt me from time to time, willing to risk punishment for their actions as they would call me a number of names, some of them entertaining, others extremely hurtful... Luckily while I continued to progress, most of them stagnated, and either became more mature or dropped out of their position as squires.
It was through these taunts that I learned of Holgerth's previous occupation before becoming a knight... I had found that he had previously been a criminal of some infamy for reasons that I would not mention lest I tarnish his name. Needless to say, I questioned the grand master over this- he simply told me the truth, and that the rumors had all been truthful... I questioned Master Holgerth, and he told me the same thing. I stopped paying attention to my studies for a time after learning this, and felt a need to remove myself from his presence, change mentors... But then it finally clicked- anyone was worthy of redemption and forgiveness for their actions, even one who's crimes demanded a sentence to the hells had managed to pull themselves towards a life dedicated to a goodly cause.
Time passed and I learned more and more until it was time for me to be made a Knight Errant and begin my own missions.
...
If I am to be the last of Ilmater's followers to roam this island, then let this record be kept. Let it be returned to the Yellow Rose monastary should it be found by another, and let my record enter their halls as a reminder of whatever fate besets me. I am Jacia Lendetta, self-appointed Knight Commander of the Companions of the Noble Heart, and one of Ilmater's faithful.
...
I was born into nobility, given the life of luxury from a young age, the only child my mother ever beared during my time within this home. I was only begining to blossom when the clergy of Ilmater came upon me through less than savory means, and I began to follow them, pledging myself to the crying god's service behind the back of my father. I began to forsake my life of luxury, knowing that it only caused suffering.
When I was still young, far too young to be wed, my father attempted to marry me off to a Noble of high status who had recently lost his wife. He hoped to secure his power within the lands, and I remained silent, submissive. Never mentioning my commitments to the church...
It was a week before the wedding when the priests became aware of the predicament. I was forced to choose. Choose between my own family, or my service to Ilmater. Through my family I was but a tool, a pawn from which little love was shared and from which power was to be gained. Through the church, I had foudn happiness, salvation, and thus my decision was quick. For me, the church had always been my family, and it was simply a choice between honoring my bloodline, or honoring my commitments.
I was cast out for my decisions that day. The man I was to be wed to had already paid a handsome bride price, wanting me as little more than something to comfort him, and my father had already used it to increase his holdings near waterdeep. For the clergy to deny my marriage to be a week before it took place... He was furious. He would have to repay the man, or forfeit the lands he had bought, both of which were out of the question. The clergy were thrown out of the estate quickly enough. Word would spread though, and no church in the city or nearby villages would wed us at that point.
My punishment was just. For my insolence I recieved proper corporal punishment, and was disowned, thrown out into the streets with nothing more than a loaf of bread and the clothes on my back. It was then, that my mentor took me under his wing as a squire.
...
As a squire, I was first taught obediance and respect. Discipline. I was not allowed access to the barracks, and was instead required to sleep within the church grounds. I was to wake up at the toll of the bell, pray, purge myself of impurities within the sanctified bathing areas, and then enter Ilmater's holy sanctum for prayer. I would proceed to do my chores around the church, such as the cleaning of the stables, praying at the appropriate times. I would attend lessons and sermons within the sanctuary when appropriate and when not completing chores, and eat two meals a day-One after morning prayer and one before early evening prayer. After early evening prayer, I would meet with Master Holgerth for whatever lessons he would teach, usually combative in nature, head to the holy sanctum once more to confess any wrongs I had committed throughout the day to the Grand Master, serve any punishment that was to be, make the late evening prayers, and then return to my sleeping quarters to repeat the process... I was to remain silent during these times, and only speak during prayer or when spoken to by my superiors. There would be six times to pray throughout the day between waking up and going to sleep, and I had to learn during this time to live on only six hours of sleep, sometimes less when the prayer bells would ring early in the mornings, or late in the evenings.
While repetitive, dull, seemingly eternal agony for a while... These first two years served me well, and I would not trade them for anything. They enforced a stricter behavior within me, disciplined me to accept the challenges of the world... It was a relief when after this two year attunement I was allowed new sleeping quarters in the barracks. I was allowed to speak once more, and no longer had chores. I still had to wake at the bell, and sleep at the bell, but my studies after that were focused strictly on learning to be a knight, and I spent most of the day learning from my mentor or accompanying the half-orc on his daily routines. It was my job to study every encounter, every reaction, to learn from them and repeat by the end of the day what I had learned. I never recieved corporal punishment under Ilmater's gaze, only shame and chores.
I began to admire my mentor for a time, for it was he who broke me of my racist beginings. Father had always insulted the elves, dwarves, half-orcs... Referring to them as little more than garbage to be disposed of. Holgerth never said a word about my initial distate in the other races though- he simply showed me the distate that others held for him. When the other knights would be courteously addressed and bowed to, the peasants would sneer and shun master Holgerth, but he never seemed to mind. There was always a stoic smile upon his face, and afterwards he would always tell me "Jacia, this is what the oaths truly mean. I would gladly give up my life for every one of those villagers we passed by." Over time it began to click, and I would soon become accepting of any and all, no matter their background or ancestry. The other squires would taunt me from time to time, willing to risk punishment for their actions as they would call me a number of names, some of them entertaining, others extremely hurtful... Luckily while I continued to progress, most of them stagnated, and either became more mature or dropped out of their position as squires.
It was through these taunts that I learned of Holgerth's previous occupation before becoming a knight... I had found that he had previously been a criminal of some infamy for reasons that I would not mention lest I tarnish his name. Needless to say, I questioned the grand master over this- he simply told me the truth, and that the rumors had all been truthful... I questioned Master Holgerth, and he told me the same thing. I stopped paying attention to my studies for a time after learning this, and felt a need to remove myself from his presence, change mentors... But then it finally clicked- anyone was worthy of redemption and forgiveness for their actions, even one who's crimes demanded a sentence to the hells had managed to pull themselves towards a life dedicated to a goodly cause.
Time passed and I learned more and more until it was time for me to be made a Knight Errant and begin my own missions.
...
