A Parable of Pride - by Jalaran Khajari

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SighelmofWyrmgard
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A Parable of Pride - by Jalaran Khajari

Post by SighelmofWyrmgard »

A Parable of Pride, by Jalaran Khajari




What I tell thee now, I didst witness with mine own eyes: I was there the night the Daemons descended 'pon Magincia.

They came, as is their wont, in storm and fury and fire. I didst, indeed, feel the very ether shudder 'neath the weight of the magicks they had brought thither.

At that time there existed, amongst the proud ranks of the Magincian Battle-Magi, a gallant, loyal and, considered by most, gifted and courageous Captain.

Gifts and talents aside, on this evening, it happened to be this Captain's turn to guard a certain, rare and beautiful, flower: as ordered by his own Captain-General; in the personal garden of one of the oligarchs of that magnificent, proud, city.

The assault errupted upon the city: a younger officer of the Order, dedicated to the same task, declared, "Captain, the city is under attack! We must forsake this useless task!"

"I have my orders and so dost thou," that Captain replied. The Captain then relented, "I do want to go as much as thee".

People, screaming, fled through the streets. On the very skirts of the city could be seen a veritable maelstrom of lightning, fire and the fury of desperate defiance: the renowned Battle-Magi of Magincia were determined to not be defeated ...

A small boy, a shepherd-boy, terrified, stumbled into the garden; his clothes were smouldering, and he fell on his face. The Captain ran to him.

"Up, poor child. I will deliver thee from this, my word, but I wouldst beg of thee a boon."

He seized pen and paper, and wrote furiously while he instructed the boy, "To Moonglow shalt I send thee, to the very Lycaeum. Accost the very first Mage thou findest, and give over this note and these runes. The Mages shalt question thee: answer honestly, and tell them all thou canst! Come, I shall summon the gate."

And, the boy was gone ...

It didst become manifest that the entire legion of the Maginician Battle-Magi could not withstand the onslaught: the Daemons had recruited Orcs and Trolls and Ogres, and other vile creatures; eventually, many members of that exhausted, broken, once-proud formation lost their courage and began to flee. Those who still, defiantly, chose to stand their ground wouldst soon die.

All over the city, Moongates began to open ...

Out of the first poured Mages from the Lycaeum, followed by their own Adepts, Acolytes, and even Apprentices, and they threw themselves into the conflict without fear.

A veritable flood of Paladins, from Trinsic, were next and they hurled themselves into the center of the enemy's advance, particularly to interpose themselves between the enemy and the Mages.

And the Druids arrived: war without just-cause must be considered the supreme injustice ...

The stout Tinkers of Minoc appeared, and strove to assist The Knights of the Shining Path.

From Britain came their renowned Bards who, mainly, roved across the battlefield, demoralizing the enemy, and sewing their ranks with discord; but many didst engage in personal deeds of valor, great valor, that day, nevertheless.

Rangers from Skara Brae, and Vesper, cut incessantly at the flanks, like wolves searching for ham-strings.

Another wave of Moongates opened: Jhelom, Serpent's Hold, the entire Valorian Islands poured-forth and surged into the fray; the Battle-Magi had been decimated and dispersed; Mage, Paladin, Druid, Tinker, Bard, Ranger, the contest had become desperate. But, now, the Fighters had arrived to engage: what might have been a vicious defeat perhaps possessed a hope of victory, after all.

At the least, it became a contest, again.

No one pays any heed to shepherds: heedless of their own peril, the shepherds had been guiding all living creatures to safety.

A shepherd-woman, named Katrina, and known to be friend to Lord British, stumbled, herself exhausted, into the garden.

"Harken, Captain, for those brats from Britain hath bestowed 'pon me a marvellous idea! We Shepherds serve Magincia, and yet YOU must now service US in our desperate need! Gather your men about us, and provide us escort, for thou must open for us the gate, and return us hither: now, take us to DESTARD!"

"I can not do as you ask: I must protect this flower from all outsiders; I have been so ordered."

The Captain winked as he smiled and then invoked, "Kal Vas Flam". Immediately after, he summoned all nearby men, and opened the Moongate.

Not long after, a Moongate re-opened in what was left of that garden, and out-spilled the Captain, exhausted, armor crumpled and bent, his halberd dark with dried-blood, his cloak smouldering, and he fell to the side and collapsed. Behind him emerged a half-dozen shepherds, each with at least two dragons in-tow; Katrina was leading at least four.

The Captain tried to get up, but could not. He didst swoon ...

The Captain awoke to find his hands in manacles: a certain oligarch was complaining that the Captain had betrayed his obligations, and defied his orders.

The Captain spoke to the truth, and delivered all information.

Many of the landholders, nobles, moneylenders, magisters of Magincia began to pretend to preach caution, "We should not be too judgmental" ... "We will sort this out".

An unknown (to me) Druid, of the many Druids who were present, stated, "You possess, here, an entire enclave of Druids: we are happy to help you find justice."

Among the Paladins from Trinsic survived one worthy, named Japheth, who surged forth to speak. His captain glared at him, and Japheth noted the glare but spoke, nonetheless, "But for the actions of this man, thine entire island wouldst now be smoking ashes!"

Katrina observed the Magisters coldly. "I do imagine that an excess of Humility is as grievous a sin as could be any vaunt of Pride," she warned.

It didst remain, however, a dilemma: the young Captain, accused apostate and yet also hero, had survived as the highest-ranking officer of his annihilated company; by their regimental charter and rule, any matter of High Justice had, thus, become HIS purview, and yet it was unseemly that he shouldst rule in the matter of his own case.

Katrina didst seem unperturbed.

"Can we not sort this out, Magisters and Nobles, according to our King's recent gift of The Virtues?"

Abashed and confused, most nodded assent: they were apalled when Katrina turned-back to the accused.

"Captain, do now thine office, and honestly! How do YOU think we might judge this matter in accord with The Virtues?"

He thought for a little while before he addressed the Assembly,

"Spirituality, methinks, wouldst urge us to consider all in context, even The Virtues themselves:

"Valor requireth me to stand fast, and persevere, whatever shalt ensue; Compassion moveth me to remind all that wounds must heal, grief must pass, and that comfort and joy need to be found again; Honesty admits that great deeds have been done, and a horrible doom averted; Justice and Honor demand restitution for oathbreaking, but also fair reward for Valor and Sacrifice; Sacrifice pleadeth that all had already been given-up in vain devotion to duty, even until vain-duty, itself, remained the only thing left to sacrifice ...

"In consideration of all these things, mine Humility suggesteth that I beg of thee the following boon:

"Send me forth, not as an exile, but as one would a Knight of old, 'pon Errantry. I resign my rank and station. In this wise, the terms of exile remain enforced, but I could be recalled at need to fulfil the one oath I have NOT broken: to defend this city and island at ALL costs, and to the very end of my strength."

The assembled worthies marvelled anew at this young Captain: all approved of this eloquent exegesis. To the further amazement of all, the proud Nobles and Magisters of the island bowed their heads, and looked to be both ashamed and chastised: cowed first by the nobility of a shepherd, and then by the gentle and graceful wisdom of a soldier. The boon was granted, and it was decreed that the matter of the young Captain's offences be considered settled. So far as I knoweth, the terms of Errantry were never announced, nor disclosed.

It should be mentioned, here, that the King didst approve; so, also, didst Lord Blackthorn.

Shepherds and dragons guarded the city; soon after, the King's Guards were installed.

The beauty of Magincia hath since been restored, for all to see, perhaps moreso in that at least a little of its pride hath been quenched; the ranks of the Battle-Magi also have been rebuilt, though their numbers be sorely reduced, and it seemeth as if gratitude and contemplation hath supplanted their former vanity.

So endeth this tale. Methinks the reader doth suspect this story-teller was once that brave little shepherd boy.

Nay, 'tis untrue: I am not he.
Last edited by SighelmofWyrmgard on Sat Sep 07, 2019 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SighelmofWyrmgard wrote:
uosa44 wrote:For sale, by original owner:
1 Human Brain, never been used, only slightly damaged, still in original packaging.
$1, obo
FTFY.

SS
uosa44 wrote:The inability for this person to respond in such a crazy manner proves my point.

SighelmofWyrmgard
Posts: 881
Joined: Thu May 20, 2010 5:34 pm

Re: A Parable of Pride - by Jalaran Khajari

Post by SighelmofWyrmgard »

Counter-spam bump.

SS
SighelmofWyrmgard wrote:
uosa44 wrote:For sale, by original owner:
1 Human Brain, never been used, only slightly damaged, still in original packaging.
$1, obo
FTFY.

SS
uosa44 wrote:The inability for this person to respond in such a crazy manner proves my point.

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