The Induction of Tilly Faretto

[Draiden 326]

The Induction of Tilly Faretto

15^th of Malin’s Welcome, 1775

 

“Are you ready?” Alisa’s words would echo behind Tilly as she stood on the threshold above the frozen waters outside of Morsgrad. It was her final trial to become Keeper – a trial of her own choosing. She decided a swim across the frozen lakes to the dark shores underneath the city’s shadow without dying would prove that the fire of her willpower was greater than the cold darkness that would try to stop her. Tilly closed her eyes for a moment, cleared her mind, and jumped. The icy water immedately put her body into shock. She could hardly feel her already numbing limbs as they began to kick and paddle in order to carry herself to the other end. The water stung and burned, not even clothing or armor between her and the waters. Still she kept swimming. Kept going until her hands plunged into not water; but snow, and lost consciousness on the other side.

The next half hour to her was a blur. Getting carried into Morsgrad proper. Getting dropped into the hotsprings. A blurry vision of Jager asking her to wiggle her fingers and toes, saying something about nerve damage. Then black. She wasn’t sure just how long she was unconscious for, but she eventually made her way back to the land of the living, put on her clothes, and entered the temple to find Jager and the High Keeper waiting for her.

 

“The tenets have been abided; the trials complete. You’ve shown your assessments to be just, you heart honest, and your faith absolute.”

 

Jager would hold in his hands a weapon of Tilly’s design – a hollow-headed flail with a morningstar head, designed to carry a flame. He’d stand up and hold it at his waist, dangling it above the Hearthfires.

 

“With the lighting of this flamebrand, you will begin a new chapter of your life in the Order. No longer will you listen and learn, but you will speak and act. Are you ready?”

 

“I am ready.”

 

“You will be a protector and guardian of the Hearthfires. As such, you will carry a piece of the Hearth with you. To let this flame die out is to let yourself die out. It will be a burden and a boon to you always. Are you willing?”

 

“I am willing.”

 

“As Keeper of the flame, you will become a mentor, but never lose your willingness to be mentored. The world will always change, and now you must prepare tohers for the crimson tide as well as yourself. Are you able?”

 

“I am able.”

 

 

 

Jager would nod and dip the flail’s head into the fires of the Holy Hearth. “Under witness of the All-Father, the mentored, the mentor, and the blessing of the High Keeper... I light this flamebrand to guide your way as you guide others.” Jager would pull out the now lit flamebrand and hand it to Tilly handle-first. “Congratulations, Keeper Faretto.”

 

[AstriaS 4988]

The High Keeper nodded contently as she oversaw the ceremony. As Jager raised the lit flamebrand from the hearth, she gave a brief round of applause. “Congratulations, Keeper. And welcome. May you serve the Father well.” 

[rukio 8924]

“A damn shame they can’t confront Jager’s involvement in Alifer’s murder but have time for this shite. Imagine drowning or otherwise torturing people to become priests. Arthas is rolling in his grave at what they’ve done to his forefather’s religion.” Aurea comments idly while waiting for her next contract. an unlit cig resting between her left index and middle fingers.

[Gallic 1066]

1 hour ago, rukio said:

“A damn shame they can’t confront Jager’s involvement in Alifer’s murder but have time for this shite. Imagine drowning or otherwise torturing people to become priests. Arthas is rolling in his grave at what they’ve done to his forefather’s religion.” Aurea comments idly while waiting for her next contract. an unlit cig resting between her left index and middle fingers.

“High Keeper Arthas explicitly put initiates through gauntlets too and Alifer was an Iblees worshipper who planned to kill the High Keeper.” Fiil’Yar continues to debate the distant Norlanders who speak up exclusively to deride active members of the faith.

Quote

Those who have been given this opportunity undergo a series of initiation tasks and rituals displaying their dedication to the All Father. However the initiation procedures do not serve simply as a hazing period,

 

[rukio 8924]

12 hours ago, Gallic said:

“High Keeper Arthas explicitly put initiates through gauntlets too and Alifer was an Iblees worshipper who planned to kill the High Keeper.” Fiil’Yar continues to debate the distant Norlanders who speak up exclusively to deride active members of the faith.

 

”You don’t know **** about what Arthas taught people, pretend orc. Do shut up and go back to your degeneracy.” Aurea retorts in annoyance at the inferior being’s attempts. ”And no, he wasn’t, you buffoon. But I’m not surprised you’d defend her, you’re probably some dark agent too.” 

[Gallic 1066]

1 hour ago, rukio said:

”You don’t know **** about what Arthas taught people, pretend orc. Do shut up and go back to your degeneracy.” Aurea retorts in annoyance at the inferior being’s attempts. ”And no, he wasn’t, you buffoon. But I’m not surprised you’d defend her, you’re probably some dark agent too.” 

”An unsurprising response from a woman who resorts to making up scripture to deride things she doesn’t like.” Fiil calmly, but derisively responds to Aurea’s annoyance, as they are established to be in conversation distance. “Ignoring actual evidence and instead repeating things she wants others to believe.”

[rukio 8924]

1 hour ago, Gallic said:

”An unsurprising response from a woman who resorts to making up scripture to deride things she doesn’t like.” Fiil calmly, but derisively responds to Aurea’s annoyance, as they are established to be in conversation distance. “Ignoring actual evidence and instead repeating things she wants others to believe.”

”An unsurprising response from a low intelligence ape who wants to pretend the scripture I cite doesn’t exist. Ask any actual Edvardsson. Oh wait, they’ve all left because you and yours have made them ashamed.” 

[Draiden 326]

(Ignore please, posted by mistake)

[RealHouseWaifu 13]

On 7/3/2020 at 8:02 PM, rukio said:

”An unsurprising response from a low intelligence ape who wants to pretend the scripture I cite doesn’t exist. Ask any actual Edvardsson. Oh wait, they’ve all left because you and yours have made them ashamed.” 

Tilly would hear the discussion begin to turn hostile, and approach with a patient smile behind her porcelain mask. “A terrible shame that there are still those who support the Keeper who has been confirmed to be a dark agent. The Paragon Vykk himself confirmed Amice to be 300 years old, far beyond a natural lifespan for a human. Not that you would have known, having absolutely nothing to do with the incident, so I will forgive you your ignorance. All other issues concerning the matter have been dealt with, and all concerns of corruption investigated properly. Perhaps we should be more responsible in throwing around accusations of being Agents of the Long Dark, girl, rather than throwing it carelessly at anyone we dislike, yes?”

[rukio 8924]

10 minutes ago, RealHouseWaifu said:

Tilly would hear the discussion begin to turn hostile, and approach with a patient smile behind her porcelain mask. “A terrible shame that there are still those who support the Keeper who has been confirmed to be a dark agent. The Paragon Vykk himself confirmed Amice to be 300 years old, far beyond a natural lifespan for a human. Not that you would have known, having absolutely nothing to do with the incident, so I will forgive you your ignorance. All other issues concerning the matter have been dealt with, and all concerns of corruption investigated properly. Perhaps we should be more responsible in throwing around accusations of being Agents of the Long Dark, girl, rather than throwing it carelessly at anyone we dislike, yes?”

“Considering Vykk is still alive and has forsaken the faith and Norland for most of its history who the **** is he to judge. Where is your proof, too, by the way, of Amice’s age or what that matters? Many accounts of humans living long lives, many accounts of half elves or adunians living long lives. Sounds like you’re part of the corruption you disgusting rodent.” Aurea replies. 

[_pr0fit 3084]

8 hours ago, rukio said:

“Considering Vykk is still alive and has forsaken the faith and Norland for most of its history who the **** is he to judge. Where is your proof, too, by the way, of Amice’s age or what that matters? Many accounts of humans living long lives, many accounts of half elves or adunians living long lives. Sounds like you’re part of the corruption you disgusting rodent.” Aurea replies. 

 

Vykk sighs, having had the intention of ignoring this person whom he has never seen step one foot into norland, and upon further investigation has found that nobody has ever heard of this person before, he clears his throat preparing to speak.

“Yes, I, an elf, was alive beyond two hundred years ago, where I had the displeasure to first meet Alifer Amice, an old man at the time already, whom if it were not for Arthas who had a weakness to those who would stroke his ego, would have been rejected from keeperhood. Now, two hundred years as any sane person would recognize is more than just a “Long life” for a human, but I was later made aparty to the fact that Amice was in fact using dark magics to not only extend his own life, but to corrupt the lives of other members of the faith. Where is the proof you might ask, well, if you were ever to set foot upon Norlandic soil, you may happen upon the library within, where you will find many documents written by or mentioning Amice, dated hundreds of years ago”

Vykk says, pacing around whatever forum the group has gathered in.

“As you probably don’t recall, since you were in fact not at the death of Alifer Amice, he called for the assasination of the High Keeper based on the lies spread by beings who embraced the Long Dark as their patron, beyond even the deception that he may or may not have unknowingly fallen for, upon attempt to arrest Amice, he tried to flee, where he was captured forcefully by the guard, where he began to curse norland on behalf of his true patron, Iblees, claiming all manner of ills that his true patron would bring upon our great nation.”

Finally Vykk would stop, standing before the person whom he does not know nor has anyone he has ever met seen before.

“I have not forsaken the faith, nor have I forsaken any of Norlands history, but you, whoever you are, continously attempt to defend a proven agent of the Long Dark, this blatant heresy and disregard for not only the Father, the Faith, and our country, will stand no longer, any attempts to enter the Highland realm will be met with your arrest.”

Vykk would shake his head at the person.

“Go to Oren, where I am sure they will accept a snake in the grass such as yourself with open arms and daggers hidden, a true kin of yours I would imagine.” he continues as he begins once again pacing “I am sure your fantasy of false kings and horrid scandals commited before the All-Father will make great entertainment for the kneeling emperor of the cross god, where you can regail his court of stagnant gluttons with tales of how you are the hero of your story and Norland is but a pit of all that is evil in the world.”

Vykk finally comes to a stop before the exit of the forum

“If you actually felt so strongly, that you must continuosly harrass the people of Norland, you would not hide like a coward, you would not write letters from the shadows, you would actually face those you dishonorably demean, you would rally the like minded Norlanders to rise up, but you cannot because you are alone in your delusions, an outcast and dishonored.”

Vykk looks back upon the forum and the person before shaking his head once more and departing, where he would call upon the Norlandic folk to ignore the letters of the serial harrasser, heretic, and disrepute as well as to arrest them if they were to ever find their way to Norland.

 

[rukio 8924]

1 hour ago, Professorus said:

 

Vykk sighs, having had the intention of ignoring this person whom he has never seen step one foot into norland, and upon further investigation has found that nobody has ever heard of this person before, he clears his throat preparing to speak.

“Yes, I, an elf, was alive beyond two hundred years ago, where I had the displeasure to first meet Alifer Amice, an old man at the time already, whom if it were not for Arthas who had a weakness to those who would stroke his ego, would have been rejected from keeperhood. Now, two hundred years as any sane person would recognize is more than just a “Long life” for a human, but I was later made aparty to the fact that Amice was in fact using dark magics to not only extend his own life, but to corrupt the lives of other members of the faith. Where is the proof you might ask, well, if you were ever to set foot upon Norlandic soil, you may happen upon the library within, where you will find many documents written by or mentioning Amice, dated hundreds of years ago”

Vykk says, pacing around whatever forum the group has gathered in.

“As you probably don’t recall, since you were in fact not at the death of Alifer Amice, he called for the assasination of the High Keeper based on the lies spread by beings who embraced the Long Dark as their patron, beyond even the deception that he may or may not have unknowingly fallen for, upon attempt to arrest Amice, he tried to flee, where he was captured forcefully by the guard, where he began to curse norland on behalf of his true patron, Iblees, claiming all manner of ills that his true patron would bring upon our great nation.”

Finally Vykk would stop, standing before the person whom he does not know nor has anyone he has ever met seen before.

“I have not forsaken the faith, nor have I forsaken any of Norlands history, but you, whoever you are, continously attempt to defend a proven agent of the Long Dark, this blatant heresy and disregard for not only the Father, the Faith, and our country, will stand no longer, any attempts to enter the Highland realm will be met with your arrest.”

Vykk would shake his head at the person.

“Go to Oren, where I am sure they will accept a snake in the grass such as yourself with open arms and daggers hidden, a true kin of yours I would imagine.” he continues as he begins once again pacing “I am sure your fantasy of false kings and horrid scandals commited before the All-Father will make great entertainment for the kneeling emperor of the cross god, where you can regail his court of stagnant gluttons with tales of how you are the hero of your story and Norland is but a pit of all that is evil in the world.”

Vykk finally comes to a stop before the exit of the forum

“If you actually felt so strongly, that you must continuosly harrass the people of Norland, you would not hide like a coward, you would not write letters from the shadows, you would actually face those you dishonorably demean, you would rally the like minded Norlanders to rise up, but you cannot because you are alone in your delusions, an outcast and dishonored.”

Vykk looks back upon the forum and the person before shaking his head once more and departing, where he would call upon the Norlandic folk to ignore the letters of the serial harrasser, heretic, and disrepute as well as to arrest them if they were to ever find their way to Norland.

 

“Can I get a too far away, can’t hear you?” Asks Aurea.