[RP Story] A Priest's Tale

This is a story I had written two or three years ago. There are some similarities with my story "Decay", which is because both grew from the same initial concept. Yet "A Priest's Tale" takes another route, and it is the actual basic background story for my PoM in AoC. It surely isn't the best I've ever written (and a bit clichéd) but quite a decent enjoyable tale nonetheless. ;)


1) A Night in the Border Kingdoms

It was a pitch-dark but starry night when my life set about changing once and for all. It had been raining for days in the small town of Merring where I grew up, on the rim of the Aquilonian border kingdoms. The Nemedians were closer than we would have preferred, but for any reasons unknown to us, they were not at all interested in our village.

The rainfall was even heavier that night than in those before. The water level was on the rise even inside our cottage. My father, a simple farmer, had given up on being upset about such things a long time ago. He always used to say: “What's done is done, our lives move on.“ Then he drank wine and became even more indifferent. “Move on, my son, whatever comes. Don't let fate hold you down.“ I think I hated him for that.

All our belongings were buried under a thick layer of mud after that stormy night. The sun that shone brightly that morning seemed to mock us. Countless villagers had drowned in their own houses that night, many of them in their sleep.


2) The Morning after

I opened my eyes... and could see into myself. A mirror on the wall revealed my true self. This was not the time for tears. I felt that I was in the right place at the right time. A tragic turn of fateful events. And so I ran, I ran towards the forest, without looking back.

Within these woods, at the bottom of a mountain, sheltered against wind and weather by large rocks, lived an old hermit. Only few knew about him and he liked it that way... yet he always tolerated my presence. Something special emanated from him, a mysterious appeal, and back then, I could not grasp what it was.

As I approached his cabin, he already stood in front of the door, staring at me as if he had looked into the direction I came from all the time. A cold shiver ran down my spine. But the feeling of doing the right thing was strong inside of me. When I returned the stare of the hermit, all the world faded to black – as dark as the last night had been. I fell... and lost consciousness.


3) A great Loss

Sunbeams tickled and awakened me. It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Confusion was spreading and just slowly, I regained my orientation. I was laying on the ground where the forest began. In my head, my father's words echoed: “Move on. Don't let fate hold you down.“ My whole body was aching, but I managed to get up and ran back into the woods. The hermit's cabin, which had been there for as long as I could remember, was simply gone. My surprise soon made way for bewilderment. Had I only imagined all that? But if I had, where did the pain come from?

I started on my way back home. Closing in on the village, I saw black smoke rising into view. I ran, and an image of pure horror was presented to me. Burned corpses everywhere, the cottages blood-smeared with symbols unknown to me... with the blood of the villagers. I did not have to look after my father for long. He was hanging from the oak in the town's center, impossible to overlook. The ritual symbols that were carved into his bare body, I knew well enough. They were Nemedian.

The sight and smell were unbearable. I went down on my knees and had to vomit. Then I started to cry tears of despair and helplessness.

Probably soon afterwards, even though it had appeared like an eternity to me, the hermit appeared in front of me, seemingly out of nowhere. He looked down on me and whispered: “This is no place for you.“ Once again, I passed out as the world faded to black.


4) Tarantia

This time, I woke on a hill far away from home. When my head became clear again and I had struggled to control my pains, I was greeted by the sight of a massive city's gates. White towers loomed high into the skies, with an impressive castle easily standing out. Even as a mere boy from the border kingdoms, I knew at once: This could only be Tarantia, the capital of Aquilonia.

I remember walking through the streets of Old Tarantia, hearing people talk about their lives. Their joy, their sadness, their doubts, their wishes, their love, their hatred, their awkwardness, their arrogance... everything. But the most prominent feeling that hit me hard was indifference.

They cared not which god they prayed to or if there were gods at all. They cared not where wars were waged, how many people died, who would win and who lost. They cared not what happened out of their own comfort zone, as long as they were not affected by it. All that reminded me of my father. And in that moment, I was on the edge of going insane.

But then I saw HER. A girl so beautiful that I could not have imagined her in my boldest dreams. Her long, flowing mane of hair had the color of sunrays, and her eyes were as deep and clear as a mountain lake.

She approached and just started talking to me, devoid of any shyness, asked me who I was, where I came from, and why I was marvelling at the cityscape open-mouthed. I felt like I could tell her everything, as if she was the only person in the whole world who mattered. Her name was Yaidia.


5) Yaidia

She showed me Tarantia in all its glory. I could barely hold my astonishment... but essentially, I only had eyes for Yaidia. All the pain and worries about losing my father, my friends, my home – all my life so far – was all but gone. Maybe father had been right after all. “Move on. Whatever comes.“

At nightfall, Yaidia took me along to her place. She gave me bread and water and just then I was realizing how hungry I actually was. We talked about everything that came to our minds. My story moved her to tears, and I was grateful for her compassion, her sympathy.

Eventually, as it was bound to happen, Yaidia and I spent a passionate night together. A starry night... fate pursued curious ways. This I had to learn anew on the morning that followed after this night that had been better than any I had ever lived through before. Fate came upon us in the shape of her father. He caught us still sleeping, exhausted as we were.

As it turned out, he was a priest of Mitra. Even someone as youthfully naive as me, who knew the laws of Tarantia about as loosely as the traditions of distant Stygia, had to realize what I was being accused of in the course of the day. Debauchery of a priest's daughter was usually punished with a death sentence.

I tried to explain but nobody listened. I was thrown into prison, a dark holding cell and left me there for the time being. I heard that it was Yaidia herself who could finally calm her father down a bit, and she told him my story. That did nothing about the fact that I had been – as they called it – “indecently aligned“ with the daughter of a priest of Mitra.

A verdict had to be rendered. Mitigating circumstances saved me from ending up on the gallows. Yet the sentence that was passed after long deliberations between Yaidia's father and the presiding judge, should radically change my life once more.

They decided that only Mitra himself could cleanse my soul from sin, and gave me a choice: It was either the gallows after all... or I could dedicate my life to serving Mitra. I had no clue what would be expected of me or what I would have to do, but the decision against the hangman's noose was an easy one.

I saw Yaidia only once more, at the passing of the judgement. She seemed relieved and gave me a heartfelt apologetic look. Thereafter, I would never meet her again.


6) Apprenticeship

My training to become a Priest of Mitra led me to a small temple in Caenna, a village in Poitain. For years, I was taught the doctrines of Mitra, the conjuration of divine magic – which I turned out to have a certain knack for – and the denial of “secular imperfection“. No wine, no women, no curses...

Instead, a usual day's schedule consisted of collecting all kinds of rocks and lumbers to build homes for the poor, as well as herbs to brew potions – another thing I had talent for – and cotton to fabricate clothing for the people. I also spent some time with the local armorer to learn his craft. Though I have never been qualified to wield blades or bows, the process of creation for such weapons fascinated me.

And not a single day passed by without me thinking of Yaidia. Every thought of her even drowned the horrible memories of Merring, my hometown.

The years went by, and eventually I was told that the time had come for me to be anointed a priest. For that occasion, Yaidias father came to Caenna... after all, it was him to had arranged for my acceptance into the order of Mitra, so he was also responsible for my ordination to the priesthood.

I had gotten my hopes up that Yaidia might accompany him... but of course she did not. Her father would never have permitted that. Nonetheless, he expressed a certain proudness that I had treaded on a righteous and “worthy of Mitra“ path during the years of my apprenticeship. And so he really went on to ordinate me to full priesthood of Mitra.

I was proud of myself for finding my way after all. Even if I had not chosen it by myself, I could be content. Priests were esteemed and respected all throughout Aquilonia, and I no longer had to fear of ending up in the gutter.

Yet just at this moment, without any prior warning, the hermit from the woods outside Merring re-appeared. Black lightning flickered and made the hearts of Yaidia's father and the other present priests stop beating at once. I was shocked. But he just stood in front of me and said: “Now you are ready... slave.“ And once again, everything faded to black all around me.


7) Present day

It took a lot of time for me to remember all this. A ritual in the Lacheish plains restored my memory. Before that, I strayed Tortage with a blank mind, a pirate port on the Barachan isles, and helped defeat a tyrant there. I had travelled through many lands, solved many riddles and claimed many lives that others considered unworthy before I could meet King Conan himself who took me into his service.

The naive lad from the border kingdoms has grown up. One day, in a tavern in the noble district of Tarantia, I met a young Cimmerian swordfighter. We drank wine all night until the whole world blurred around us. He babbled about a group consisting of men and women from all known races, a community of strong and kind-hearted individuals. Warriors, mages, rogues and priests, all with their own very special life stories to tell.

So I went on to find a home with these people, ironically in a city in Poitain, not too far from the temple where I had once been apprenticed. Yet again, I felt like I could hear my father say: “Move on, my son, whatever comes. Don't let fate hold you down.“

Now I heed his advice. I know that there is more wisdom to them that I ever wanted to concede. I took vengeance on the Nemedians for what they once did to my village. I drank more wine and beer than I could ever have imagined. I desired – and pleased – women.

Mitra punished me for all that. But you get used to the pain, especially if you had a lot to endure before. I serve Mitra, I utilize the powers he granted me for what is good. Yet I do it my way, and I reckon he accepts that. Even though he chastises me whenever I do something not according to his liking...

And there is one thought he never punished me for. Yaidia. I still think of her every day. Of course, I tried to find her in Tarantia. I was told that she departed after receiving the news about her father's demise. I feel certain that she is looking for the right purpose... maybe her destiny. And I will never give up the hope of seeing her again some day.

I have grown old. I have seen more corners of this world than most others that are still alive. I have studied in many nations, tried my best to help the people who need aid, and I hope I will leave my mark once the time has come to bid my farewell to this world. But until then, I will carry on with the search for the one love of my life, try to understand the world a little bit better, and lend a hand to those that are in need.

My name is Demracon. Mitra be my guide and constant pain in the ass.