That I May Dwell With My Power (Stage 1: Enchanted Wood)

[Atl Myrsa]

Imperious 1 of PF era XII

Atl had been walking through the Forest of Light looking for the magical trees that would produces the wood needed for the staff of Arcana. Atl had spent the day before fasting and praying preparing himself to search for the magical wood needed to create his Staff of Arcana. Dressed in the simple robes of his druidic calling, the brown clad druid moved gracefully thought the forest. The Nimalni while less dexterous in their movements had the sure footing of a mountain goat.

So it was that Atl enjoyed his travels through the Forest of Light. Not being stupid Atl kept an eye out for anything that might hurt him. Unlike other forests, the Forest of Light was just that a forest that brought who you where to light. It could be as gentle as a summer rain or as hard as the sword of justices. Atl knew this from past visits to his beloved forest. Despite its nature, he still loved it. He viewed it as much a part of Mystique as the building themselves. In many ways the city development had been strongly influences by strange powers.

It was as Atl climbed over the large roots that he noticed the gold and silver bark in the distances. Atl moved towards the glade happy to have found it at last. As Atl came closer to the gold and silver of the glade he felt as if power flooded the area.

Atl sat down as he came before the Trees. His goals for the day had been to find the glade and to meditate in preparations for the unbinding. He stood after a moment walking around the trees looking them over. As if prompted Atl began to sing. His clear voice rose in song over the trees, Atl opened his mind as he sang. After a while his song ended and he sat in on one of the branches of the golden tree’s. He quietly mediated as he spent the day relaxing on the tree. As he mediated his thoughts turned to his druidic lessons. Turned to the glory that was nature, and also to what he planned to attempt here tonight.

So it was in the peace of that glade on the first day of autumn that Atl stayed waiting for the coming of night.

[Atl Myrsa]

As the suns of Telath settled below the horizons night came upon the world. Atl climbed out of the branches of the trees. The silver and gold in the fading light seemed to reflect its own inner light. Atl rest a hand on the tree and places his ear up to it listened. He listened to the sounds of the woods around him feel the arcane flowing through the very bowls of this sacred places.

Atl after hours of meditation was prepared for the beginning of the forth coming task. He walked out a distances from the trees, and turned to look at the small grove. Atl then keeping his eyes focused on the trees entered clara. He looked intently at the trees feeling the power of nature flowing through him.

The tree’s were like the mind. He could see the wall blocking the inner wood of the tree from being released, just as the mind is at first blocked from the arcane flowing through the world. Atl still keeping his eyes upon the tree focused his gathered energies on the tree. He pulled the power of nature around him.

He released it to pull away the barriers that guarded the tree. He faced the outermost of the layers. A thin layer recent a recent addition to the woods protection. Atl was able to peal away the bounding and soon in his mind could see the second layer of binding on the tree, for unlike the human mind which only held a think bind the sacred wood was protected by arcane itself for great was the power that came with the wood it guarded.

Atl began to unbind the second of the woods layers. Finally Atl finished the unbinding a second and third layer. The wood was still protective but some of its binding had come off. Atl looked first up into the night sky where he could see that several hours had passed since sunset. Atl looked at the trees. Nothing seemed changed but he knew that it never would until it opened to give forth its secret.

Atl turned and walked back towards the crystalium city and his waiting bed. He would need plenty of rest for tomorrow nights unbinding.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl once again traveled the hidden paths of the Forest of Light. He jumped from one root to another his firm foot plants landing safely each time. Atl mind was almost lost in thought as he prepared himself for the nights activity. The suns of Telath were low on the horizon and would soon depart the skies of the world.

Atl’s blue eyes had an almost cloudy look as if he was lost in thought, he seemed to be following a path that had been laid down for him. It was as if he had known the path and could walk it blindfolded. Which might be true, but the prudent druid decided not to take unnecessary risks.

So it was as the light bathed the gold and silver trees that Atl arrived. He knelt before the trees and opened his mind to the world of magic around him. He allowed the ara of the glade and trees to flow through him. It felt as if the magic of nature had filled his very veins. Atl remained meditating until he felt the confidences of preparedness fill his heart and mind. So it was that Atl stood up and looked over the tree once more. He could once again see the binds on the tree. Even after only one day a new layer was partly formed over the old ones. Atl his sapphire eyes blazing ribbed that thin magical bind off of the trees.

With much greater patients he looked at the next layer the one he had left off at the night before. Raising a hand he gentle prodded the edges of the bind looking for its weak spot. It was after several minutes that he found it a long one of the edges. Gentle prying into the magical membrane began the slow process of peeling away the next layer.

The moons had risen over Telath before Atl finally finished and sat down on the ground. He gentle whipped the sweet off of his forehead. He then rested for a moment realizing he was little short of breath. Standing once again be began to prod the next layer. Finding it quickly he once again began the delicate procedure of unbinding the wood.

That night he was only able to remove two more of the ancient binds. A few hours into the night Atl lay against the tree regaining his breath before he once more stood up and walked away from the tree to prepare for tomorrow.

[Atl Myrsa]

Dressed in his simple robes Atl returned to the glade on this his third day of unbinding the sacred wood. The woods, like the days before, were quiet and except for the occasional wolves who avoid his path anyway Atl traversed it in peace and quiet. He spent the time ponder and thinking. He was also constantly seeking guidance from the Mother Goddess.

So it was that Atl spirit was ready for the task at hand when he arrived at the sacred location. Other magi might not feel the same about the wood as did Atl or even about magic. To Atl his magical arts was sacred something to be used to further the will of Carmelya. For it was her gift. She blessed thoughts who looked to her with prosperity and granted them the very power of nature her great domain.

Atl walked up to the tree and placing his hands on the bark rested his head against the bark not because he was tired but out of a desire to bound with the trees. They were about to give up a part of them and Atl felt letting them know of his gratitude was as vital as the unbinding spells. Atl then slipped to his knees and raising his hands high looked to the heavens.

“Beloved Goddess, Mother of nature, Great Carmelya” Atl began. “I have come here to expanded my skills so that I may uses them to expanded that which though hast called me to do.” Atl said in his native tongue. “I ask you to bless me with the strength to finish the unbinding of the sacred wood.” Atl asked simple.

Atl closed his eyes and lowered his hands and sitting back on his folded legs meditated. He cleared his mind and as his mind cleared and sought the peaces that comes with clara. He the raised his delicate elven faces to look with eyes closed upward. Then as his face looked upward he opened his mouth and raised his voice to sing the praises of nature. And so it was that Atl meditated in preparation for the nights unbinding. As he meditated the suns of Telath dipped below the horizon, and night was greeted by the beautiful voice of the Lord Thane of Mystique.

[Atl Myrsa]

The last of the brightening’s light was fading as Atl finished his mediation. His sapphire eyes again bearing that distant look so common to one who practiced arcane looked at the moonlit reflection off of the gold and silver bark of the grove. It seemed to shimmer in rippling waves of light. Almost as if there were waves of power traveling across through ancient branches. Walking around the trees Atl ran a hand along its gentle surfaces.

Atl felt the gentle bumps that indicated bark was beneath his fingers. His slow stepped were measured as they passed the distant around the tree. Through his head the patterns of magic seemed to travel as he prepared his self for this evenings unbinding.

At some point along the grove Atl stop. How far along the grove he had traveled Atl did not know, nor did he really care how far around he had traveled. He closed his eyes and began to work the unbinding. He felt the power of arcane flow through his veins into his efforts to unbind.

Like the day before a new binding seemed to be growing, and like the day before Atl was able to just touch it and caused it to crumble. Brushing away the remainder of the new binding Atl began to feel around the edges of the next level of binding. Atl was down to the very core bindings. From now one Atl would be only able to remove a single layer at a time. So with delicate precision Atl felt for the weak points in the binding.

Atl did not feel the time passing as he searched for a seam. Unlike the others this one was well hidden, like the hinges on a dwarven made door. It took three rounds for Atl to finally discover the seam. Then prying at the seam Atl was able to pull the edges off.

It was some time just before mid darkening that Atl finally noticed his surrounding. The latest level of binding was removed but Atl felt once again tired. He serious though about settling down and resting. Atl released this was not the best plan seeing as he would sleep the rest of the night here if he did that. So it was with reluctances that Atl once again left the sacred grove.

[Atl Myrsa]

Located along the Empires western border was the great Forest of Light a place where the magic flowed from the branches of the tree. A forest avoid by the prudent except on the outer edges it was currently playing host to a young nimalni elf. The suns of Telath hung along the rim of the world ready to sink beneath for the darkening.

The young elf followed a route that was unique and special to him only. Blessed by the great goddess Carmelya patron over nature and the Crystalium City of Mystique. He was guided towards a sacred location. Some where lost in the forest was a glade of trees. In a forest of magic these trees stood out. The branches reflected gold and silver light back to the suns.

It was with the delicates steps only found among the long lived elves that he traveled the hidden paths of the forest. Soon his travels took him to the grove of silver/gold trees. The whole time he remained quiet his sapphire eyes seemed lost to the world. He walked up to the tree and placed his hands on the bark of one of the trees. He stood quietly running his hands along the bark of the tree. Then sitting down he leaned against the tree and closed his eyes.

The world of the forest continued despite the man’s mediation. Soon the moons that guard the darkening for the gods had entered the sky. It was in this darkened state that the young druid once again opened his eyes. He moved so that he know knelt in front of the tree, unlike before he did not close his eyes but continued to stare at the tree.

His blue eyes glazed over, and to the world he became blind. Only thoughts who could see into the arcane world could see what was happening. In the center of the glade was a object of greatest magic. Around it though were binds that prevented just anyone to taking it. The druid spent the night unbinding the power of the tree. The struggle lasted candlemarks into the evening before another binding had been successful removed.

The young man once again stood up and walked away from the tree.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl joined the forest once again the sixth evening of the unbinding. He could feel it, the bindings thinning on the wood. He felt that he would need a little more time in meditation on this particular day. It had been a long day and had unfortunately pushed his nerves. Atl while he could cast normal spells even with this irritating realized that at this time he needed patients. The process of unbinding was a serious matter and required delicate precision and patients.

Atl arrived at the location a candlemark earlier then was normal for him. Atl climbed into the trees and layed down along one of the branches. Atl closed his eyes and enjoyed the peaceful feel that entered his body as he lay there.

He lay there. He enjoyed the light display that came across the eyes. He quietly entered the world of meditation. He let the peace of the goddess wash over him. That above all else was what he needed. The issues were not life changing or threatening, they were just hounding and sometimes even the gentle Lord Thane of Mystique needs to step away from the day to day life to regain sanity.

So it was that Atl spent his extra hour regaining the peaces of the Nimalni the peace of the followers of Carmelya.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl eventually came back to reality as he finally found peaces form the days work. Atl’s blue eyes once again looked towards the sky as he meditated in the silences of the woods, which said something for Atl since the woods was filled with the sound of animals. Atl relaxed a little and relaxed deeper into the branches. Normally he would quietly meditate on the ground but for some reason Atl felt that he should just stay within the confines of the tree.

Atl watched the delicate patterns across the leaves as he prepared for the evenings unbinding. At Atl watched the light from the suns faded, creating intricate images the shapes shifted and seemed to help heighten Atl’s meditation. Eventually the suns of Telath settled over the world. It was only a little time before the moons light replaced that of the suns.

Atl’s sapphire eyes took on the glazed look as they memorized the moon light across the leaves. It was about a candlemark after the rising of the moons that Atl finally started the unbinding. Atl made a discovery that laying there in the tree brought him closer to the binds. Once again removing the membrane that had grown since the darkening before. Atl had become very proficient at that by now.

Laying within the trees allowed for him to more intimately interact with the bindings. Atl moved the arcane forces to find the borders and cracks in this the latest layer of binding. Each layer was unique and there weak points were in different locations. Atl upon not finding any seams returned to his investigations gentle tapping her and tapping there along the binding.

After a time of tapping the binding split along a hidden seem. Atl then pulled and pried at the seam trying to widen it. The prying came pieces meal at a time. Here a long strip would come lose while there it would take all of his efforts just to get a little off of the binding.

Atl’s eyes eventually cleared as the last of the binding came off. Atl could feel that he was getting closer to the core of the binding.

[Atl Myrsa]

The Forest of Light seemed to be holding its breath as Atl Myrsa walked through the misty paths. Atl had always felt a connection to this ancient forest. It leafy branches seemed to give a new life to the area. Atl in his simple green robes helped him to almost blend into the woods themselves.

Atl arrived at the grove of delicate grow of silver and gold trees. He climbed into the wide branches and of the grove. Atl closed his eyes and let the magic around him fill his being, and like so many times before lost track of time. Time is such strange thing. At times it seems like hours last for ever while some days that time flies faster then any hawk.

It was to a cleared mind and a being ready for its night work that opened his eyes later that evening. Still encompassed by the branches of the tree Atl ran his hands along the tree’s bark. And as he did so he removed the new growth on the binding. Then gentle of so gentle he felt along the binding.

With the delicate patterns that had been practiced night after night he removed this barrier to. And so it was a binding closer to the sacred wood that Atl once again departed the grove to return again on the morrow.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl walked around the sacred grove admiring the trees. It was late the moons were high in the sky. The druid of mystique had finished his unbinding for the evening. Atl had left his home a couple candlemarks before the setting of Telaths three suns. His beloved had expressed a wish that he could stay but she understood the necessity to be out every night to achieve the goal.

The unbinding had been really no different then any other night. Arriving a candlemark before the setting of the suns. Atl had spent the time meditating. Atl actually enjoyed that part of the evenings most. It allowed for him let the troubles of the day fade away.

Atl looked at his fingers. Even thought the unbinding had been purely magical. Atl’s fingers still felt sore. That might have been from holding on to the tree as he rested in it. Atl had once again climbed into the grove and worked the unbinding from within its branches. He did not know why but found it easier to find the weakness in the binding when he rested within the groves branches.

Atl quietly left the grove having once again unbound another layers. He could feel the wood closer and closer each night Atl worked on it. It was droopy eyes that Atl slipped out of the forest to return home.

[Atl Myrsa]

Atl looked out over the city of Mystique stretching from the edge of the forest. He was dressed in his green druidic robes once again. Sam stood at the edge of the forest. He was not happy about the fact Atl had to keep going into the forest of light alone. Also standing with him was his beloved Tariel. Atl looked at her and gave her a smile. Then turning away he walked into the forest.

The forest was quiet and peaceful today as it always was. Atl listened to the squirrels running around the trees. As he listened he smiled. He was glade that he had followed his feelings and entered the sacred path of the druid.

It was a while latter that Atl arrived at the glade of silver and gold trees. Climbing into the trees Atl spent the time exploring the tree. He cleared his mind and mediated as he explored the trees. Atl felt the power in the area as he wondered.

Atl stepped from this branch to that one. He places a hand here and grabbed a branch there. He enjoyed the feel of the bark underneath his hand. And as the sun set Atl watched the shimmering of the silver and gold trees.

And so it was that he finished meditating.