A Gift for Orphans

[Toros]

Jerek and Kelda Adler walked down to Sarshel's orphanage and provided a donation in the value of 5 balan in the name of Ilmater. They wished health and happiness for the children who have suffered much.

//Tithed in-game

[Obsidian Sea]

Teresa Derlev, Adorned of Ilmater, writes to Jerek, Paladin of Ilmater, and Sister Kelda, inviting them to a feast she will be hosting at St Ashel's Orphanage as part of her volunteer work with the establishment. The orphans, she tells, speak endlessly about the married couple, whose generosity to the less fortunate within the city and whose bravery beyond its walls is comparable only to that of Impiltur's royal line. Through the impact of their donation, Kelda Adler and Jerek have been honoured on a placard on the second floor of the orphanage, and the young girls of the orphanage wish to put the skills they have learned to work for the sake of a feast held in honour of the pair.

It is with familiarity and heartfelt gladness that Teresa Derlev writes her letter. It is a missive full of reassurances that the nurse prays often for their safety in the dangers that they go to face; and that she prays for Brother Hrull; and that she continues to hear great news about the progress of Ilmater's church and the reputation of foreign faces within the city as a consequence of Sister Kelda's ongoing labours at the clinic across the street from Felix's Functionals.

//OOC: Due to a hefty workload and jarring timezones, I would quite like to conduct this via Offline RP if both parties would also be glad to participate via that medium. Although the story would be collaboratively written by the three of us over the course of several days or a week, we can still assume that the events take place in the space of one evening (if either or both characters would accept the invitation).

[Toros]

Jerek would gladly accept the invitation, and work by candlelight helping his wife carve late into the night, apparently oblivious to the dark circles under his eyes during the day.

On the day of the feast, clad in his simple tunic, he gives Teresa heartfelt thanks for the invitation, and brings his full appetite for each dish and makes a point of thanking each of the young chefs for their hard work.

While Jerek is warm and kind towards other adults there, the children are clearly his main focus, and he tells them stories of the beautiful places he's seen. The lush canopies of the King's Forest in Cormyr, the power of a storm on the ocean, the waterfall at Relgar's Ford, and of the hero that fell there. He smiles and describes how the cliffs at Maiden's Leap are taller than any building in Sarshel, more than twice as tall as the city walls. He speaks of an elven ruin atop a mountain, filled with spirits of the wind, and underground lakes filled with beings made entirely of water, and of a shrine to Eldath he and Kelda had found watching over it.

Jerek speaks with wonder of the beautiful and sometimes dangerous places he's seen beyond the walls of Sarshel, and speaks with fondness of the humans, elves, half orcs, halflings, and even a gnome or two he met and had saved his life from time to time. Voice lowered, he reveals that he one saw a full grown mountain giant, sleeping and snoring, and how it sounded like great stones rubbing together.

He tells them that he's amazed at what they were able to accomplish together, and points out that none of them could've done it alone, the same way he wouldn't be able to keep people safe without help from his friends and allies. He asks the children to look after each other, and then spends the rest of the time playing games with the children and asking them about themselves.

As the evening draws to a close he says goodbye to the children by name with a hug or handshake as they prefer. He smiles and mentions to Teresa that if any of the older kids would like to help out at the clinic to let them know.

[Poisonous]

Kelda can't remember whose idea it was, hers or her husband's--but she reluctantly agrees to the feast for two reasons: one, Sister Teresa asked it, and two, it gives her an excuse to practice her woodcarving. Odd a skill as it may be for a priestess of Ilmater to have, she has it, and with Jerek's help she shyly offers the girls little wooden figures of the Sacred Sisters of the Crying God (such as St. Shaleen the Unyielding, St. Liesel, and so on). All of them, of course, in cool action poses. Perhaps a young Kelda once looked up to such women herself?

--

Bringing herself to change her socks and half-heartedly brush her hair, Kelda arrives with Jerek at the appointed hour. She does her best to hide her discomfort around children: it seems she has trouble knowing how to act around them, tending to treat them more like small and potentially hazardous adults. She has changed much in the past year, though, and through her shyness her gentle, honest, playful self peeks out.

She smiles to herself and occasionally adds to Jerek's stories with her own memories of their adventures, only veering once or twice into language or topics better kept away from childrens' ears (who would have expected her to be the one rather than Jerek formerly of Sune?). She joins in Jerek's games with the children after some hesitation, eventually finding herself more at ease and even chatting with Sister Teresa about news in the docks. At Jerek's offer of work, she smiles and ardently agrees--surprising herself, she expresses interest and willingness in taking on apprentices or helping in training of those with an interest in healing. "I suppose if I managed to teach this dolt something about healing," she says, hooking her arm under Jerek's and grinning, "I can't be too terrible a teacher."

No amount of convincing will change her mind about helping with the dishes afterwards, of course.

[Obsidian Sea]

"I am so glad you both could make it."

The orphans thoroughly enjoy their day, and vie for the attention of Sister Kelda and Jerek, of Ilmater, in equal measure. The figurines of the saints provoke questions from the girls, who are as eager to know as they are to possess the ornaments, which they hope will protect them in lieu of a mother. Teresa Derlev aids Sister Kelda in the telling of these stories, speaking for some of the saints to a group of girls as the Priestess speaks with the rest.

The boys attempt to be impressive or non-chalant at varying stages of adolescence, whilst the younger boys show a blatant interest in courting the attention of the Paladin. They each take turns to knock one another's egos in an attempt to be the most commended in the eyes of Jerek. When the feast has ended, and Sister Kelda adjourns to the scullery with Teresa Derlev, the lads begin to reenact the stories that have been told by husband and wife.

"You enjoyed yourself today, didn't you?"

Teresa Derlev smiles, passing washed crockery to Kelda for her to dry.

"They will lose their energy after a while, I am sure. I hope they will not beleaguer your husband too much!"

And eventually the children peter out, most filtering out of the dining and play area and going to their bedrooms. A few of the oldest remain, only one of whom is male as consequence of adoptive favouritism. The children eventually peel their attention off of Jerek and go between themselves with chatter, allowing the two Ilmateri women to reunite in peace with Jerek.

"I volunteer here as much as I can, though it is difficult to get away from the Temple. Of course, you understand," she grips Kelda's forearm warmly, and then turns her eyes towards the children. In particular, the Adorned has her eye upon the lad, whose flaxen blonde hair is telling of his Impilturan heritage. "He is my nephew."

The Adorned's nephew is a healthy example of concluding boyhood, being of fifteen years and likely to grow taller than he already is. All night he has treated the younger children with civility, and the moderate temperament of every proper Impilturan. He has gone beyond the youthful rashness of the other young lads, and now as Kelda and Jerek see him on the far side of the room, speaking with a couple of the other older orphans, he has perceptibly begun to show an interest in young girls.

"His father passed away during The Time of Troubles. His mother couldn't bear the memory of it. I think she is in Thesk, now. I cannot be angry with her; it was a great sorrow when Rhys passed away. We endure what we can, but I am not worthy to judge another for their weakness. My nephew is becoming a fine young man. I am so proud."

Teresa Derlev turns to the married couple, smiling with great warmth at the two whom she considers friends, and then departs to hurry the orphans to their beds, for the night is pressing down all its weight upon the evening, and as the three Ilmateri make their departure, they perceive the snow continuing its deluge upon the region.

[Obsidian Sea]

The orphans are awoke this morning to receive a dark gift. Their carers and the children themselves are dismayed to discover rocks half-buried in the snow bearing the symbol of The Prince of Lies upon them: He who is the dark and most prominent new deity to preside over the realms: Cyric.

The omen is taken to be a bad one. The agnostic philosophers of the world might consider the sign to be a required inversion upon the good fortunes bestowed upon St. Ashel's Orphanage in recent months by the initiative shown by Averyn Thainn, and the handsome donation of coin that Sister Kelda and the Paladin, Jerek bequeathed kindly in service to Ilmater.

When Teresa Derlev, Adorned of Ilmater, hears the news, she is dismayed and desperate to hasten to the orphanage personally in order to console the children and pray for them. Few are more worthy of fear than The Prince of Lies, who has taken heed of these poor, parentless children. It is with a stiffening silence that Teresa Derlev acknowledges her imminent duty, which is to a badly wounded islander Barbarian who has recently been delivered to the infirmary, and to the continuing recovery of Noal Dagar, an Illusionist of once-growing reputation among the adventuring population, but who is now in dire condition as a result of his disappearance many months ago.

The snow continues to fall, hiding some of those Evil stones beneath its veil even after the ladies of the orphanage believe them all to have been lifted and cast out into the sea at a location some miles south of the city along the coast road.

And the snow continues to fall.

[Obsidian Sea]

The orphans of St. Ashels have had their own woes and fears since the events of 7th Mirtul. Despite that which one would have believed without witnessing the contrary - given the presence of Cyric stones about the orphanage prior to the Daemon's arrival - the orphanage was not directly hit by the attack. Still, much of the efforts had to be made to save families and soldiers, and the effect of the plight upon the St. Ashels children did go somewhat unheeded. Volunteers could no longer afford their time, being concerned with their own homes and loved ones; or having fled the city; or having, worst of all, been slain by the terrible Daemons.

And so it is with thanks and good cheer that the orphans receive new literature from the charitable donation of High Dawnlord Artemis D'Assanthe. The children regale her during her brief stay with the orphans of their friends, Jerek and Kelda Adler. It is frequently asked of Artemis how well she knows them, for the Paladin had spoken of their adventures together during a dinner that the pair had spent around a table with the orphans.

For those who can read, the Lathanderite's donation will keep their minds happily distracted from the darker sentiments of the city. Perhaps someday more can be done for them, but as is so oft the case when disaster strikes, the homeless and those divested of strong family and community relations lose their priority. Thankfully for them, today is not that day.