Toregord's Journal

[Toregord]

Day One:

The day I was initiated into the house Protectors of Radiance.

The cozy, plane of the Valley of Totality holds a secret.

Toregord of the Radiance's newest initiate has the perfect life working as a gardener in the Valley while laughing and smiling with his thoughtful teacher, Purple Lace.

However, when he finds a note depicting an image of a broken guardian's crest in his garden, he begins to realize that things are not quite as they seem in the Radiance family.

An accident in the garden leaves Toregord with some startling flashbacks and questions about his past, and he sets off to the beautiful Valley of Totality sanctuary to find some answers.

At first, the dreamers of the Valley are brave and giving. He is intrigued by the curiously atypical ruler and teacher Purple Lace. However, after she introduces him to hard teaching methods and a stern warning about dreaming with valor, Toregord slowly finds himself an Initiate into the house and is drawn into a web of Valor, Perfection, and Vigilance, even attempting to teach others of this creed.

Day Two:

Standing at the Temple as requested by the Ruler of his house, to speak to them. MERP appears from the other side.. Merp tells us he has attacked a Shamblix in the Trinities trying to dig into the walls... I immediately leave to find Aileron and alert his house, Aileron sets out to search the trinities.

I have a bad feeling about this. While in the Trinities, Mandus tries to dig into the hole MERP Disappeared into. No luck he asks Aileron to assist him.

No one is having any luck finding anything so they ask me, to hold on to the opening...All of a sudden I have been betrayed by the houses that I assisted. Stabbed in the back poisoned, and staggered... Now I find myself in the darkest place again...

How am I to get out of this mess. I have no way to get a message to purple lace and my house. I sit here thinking "If only there was a way to get something to them, maybe they could help get me out of this mess?"

Day Three:

"Sitting here in the dark is no fun," I thought to myself.

"I might as well use what my Teachers taught me during my first few dreams in the city", and created a small spark by concentrating to bring some Light into the Darkness. I began to feel around for my necklace, as I made my way around the chain to the crest dangling in the front from the golden chalk chain. I rubbed the crest as it was dangling where it hangs around my neck. I attempted to invoke my Flame once more, bringing about a small amount of light for a brief period.
I had what I believed to be a brilliant idea. I had enough Light with the Flame for the right amount of time to check in my bag for something to help me out of this messn. As I start to feel around in this bag suddenly the light goes out. As I was Invoking my flame once again, it failed. I attempt to muster a small amount of will again to bring about a flame this time it worked and the light was once again shining…

As I felt around in my bag I was able to find a small piece of metal leftover from a failed attempt to Forge a shield. I took this metal scrap and began to dig at the rocks and dirt. As I dug deeper, flinging the dirt to the side, I looked up and I was able to see a small ray of light shining through where I had been digging. Then a faint shadow of a female could be seen. Suddenly a small gust of wind escaped the city and she whispered, "The Light protects you, the Darkness guides you. Always remember to never give up. You must come back home. There is a dire situation that requires your help." It suddenly vanished. I dug with vigor, with increased energy and Will. The thought crossed my mind that this has to be a dreamer playing with me? As I shook my head to regain focus on the task at hand, It seemed like no exit was in sight. I was exhausted.


As my breath became labored, I realized I had to gather all my strength and will that I can muster to begin hitting the rocks again with full force. Finally, I was able to see the full skies again, as the rocks shattered breaking open the hole. I began to think about this “Do I wanted to return to the city that abandoned me?” I arrive back at the house with no one present of course. I walked to the center hall to enter the essence room, I checked on the items that I had left behind, of course, they are already moved and categorized.

In the corner was a golden fire codex that caught my eye. I picked up the codex and begin to read, Inscribed was a note to myself "Dearest initiate, You are true of heart and soul to this house, Much like the guardians and Rulers. I have given you the first clue to the object you are seeking to create. Below the inscription was another inscription "The object is very sturdy, currently has an exceptionally sharp edge, and has complex engravings inlaid in gold. It has a guard shaped like a cross, an elaborate grip, and a spherical pommel. It is heavy, is perfectly balanced and is to be used in the right hand. The scabbard is decorated with jewels and is made of steel with iron trimmings, and is covered by golden silk wrappings." I quickly rolled the codex up and put it into my bag.

Day Four:

I enter the Sanctuary to reflect on the decisions I've made during my time in the city. I kneel at the top of the waters that rise. I quietly repeat "Blessed creator, Radiance in the dark, with troubled heart I come to you. Guide my heart so I may go forth in your name. I seek this of you as your devout follower, o eternal shadows of Radiance. Empower me with your heavenly wisdom." The waters gently stir before my feet shaping the crest colored in blood in the center with a night background, I nod as I exit the Sanctuary, and before me appeared the shadow again. She whispered through the wind "When the time comes that the sky turns cold, the blade shall mark the rise of a new guardian and this new guardian will rise as a champion of the house. A Ruler will be revealed when the new guardian rises from the ashes." I decided it was time to search the planes in order to gather the materials for the forging of the blade, that would take place during the Ritual. I tore off my clothes and changed, for it was time to rise to the occasion as a new man who was stronger and smarter. It was time to grow and learn while getting things in order. The next few days would be Audacious in trying to get what was needed to be gathered.

Day Five:

As I walked to the main entrance of the facade I am pissed off, I am angry and without a doubt about to explode. I silently read the codex to myself “The issue here is that we tend to believe that darkness is the enemy in this city. It's not. The enemy in this city is that extremely blinding light that says, "You are flawed, you have dark patches on your face, you have cuts on your fingers, you have scars on your feet, and look, everyone can see all of that here in this light! There's nowhere to hide any of that here! Everyone can see it! You don't belong here!" A blinding light where there is no place for people to hide. That's the great evil in this city. A useless light, one that does not know that light is only useful when it is placed in the darkness! It's not the darkness that is the enemy. We have vilified dreamer's scars, dreamer's wounds, and dreamer's hiding places and we have told them that they don't belong "out here like that." Instead of going in there where they are, lighting a candle, and saying, "thanks for letting me inside".”

I screamed at the dirt surrounding me, kicking at it. Why I screamed as I looked toward the skies, a soft female voice fell upon the Facade whispering "Your path was chosen way before you entered the dream by those who created the paths you walk, your focus and your goals in the city already set forth. It is your time to move forward and ascend in the city forging you're future as a Protector by nature and in heart and soul." Suddenly the clash of shields and swords could be heard coming from deep down the Valley. I nodded in understanding and I readied my pack for the day we meet the darkness that comes.

I call upon my brothers and sisters within the city to take up arms with us to prepare to Protect the city in the true nature we are meant to and to continue to forge our paths allowing us to create and sustain the energy to grow together. "When darkness surrounds you in a dream full of chaos, search and you'll eventually find the light."