Romaan's Research

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "Greetings."

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "Good evening, Sir Romaan. How may I help
you?"

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "I need to sit down with you at some point
in the near future. I have been give a task by the Even Bladed to speak with you about your Lady and
the similarities and differences between them."

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "...I see. To what end?"

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "I need to make a report to Her, is all."

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "Very well. Why me, specifically? Lady Aeldra
would be a better option by far, as she is Her Avatar, and is closest with Her."

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "The Even Bladed said for me to seek you
out specifically."

Avaris lifts his upper right hand to press it across his gem-like eyes, the chitin
rasping in a faintly metallic fashion as he rubs thumb and forefinger along his temples, sighing.

You think to yourself: "Is this punishment, instruction, or both, I wonder?"

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "I see. Alert me when you wish to do so, and I
shall do what I can to assist you. Please keep in mind that I am neither highly ranked in Her Order
nor close to Her personally, so I am not the best source of information."

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "I do not think that is a problem at all. I
am sure She has a purpose for me, and for you for that matter, as a result of this task."

You think to yourself: "Oh, I would wager She does, Sir Romaan. I would stake much on that. No act
without purpose."

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "That seems likely. I will be available for
the next several days, though I will be largely absent for the following three months, so you are
aware."

The bright, bell-like voice of Romaan rings in your ear, "It can wait until your return. I have
other tasks I will complete in the meantime."

You tell Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins, "Very well."


((Much later!))

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "This should be good."

Sanctuary of shields and blades.
Chryselephantine statues stand poised as if they were on the battlefield; cunning detail renders
their armament, and even rivulets of blood lacerates their limbs, inlaid with rubies for dramatic
effect. Yet, within their hands, they wield not weapons or shields but light itself: a sphere of
pearlescent glass from which a brilliant glow emits and illuminates the armoury. The light catches
upon a carapace of shields that surround them; strapped to racks of amber wood, these racks stand in
tight formation as if they were a wall defending these two figures. The light catches too upon
similarly polished and gleaming weapons that hang upon the walls: swords, spears, hammers, and axes,
all sheathed in coral, ivory, and holy prayers. A sigil in the shape of a small, rectangular
monolith is on the ground. Dudley, the celestial mastiff sits here, panting quietly.
You see a single exit leading east

Avaris's antennae flick about alertly as he studies the surroundings, the eyes
adorning his wings roving about with cautious curiosity. "Indeed? Where might we be?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I need to know what Lady Lantra stands for, what
Her values are."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "We are in Fort Vigilant in Lady Terentia's
realm."

Comprehension flashes across your face.

Avaris dips his chin in a curt nod, placing his hands together at the small of his
back, beneath the overlapping cloak of his wings. "Very well. You know that my Lady is of the
Hamadhi, yes?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I believe I heard that before."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you ask, "And are you familiar with what the Hamadhi's
duties were?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "Regrettably, I missed Her coming."

The clicking of heels against the flagstoned floor beats like a steady drum, of war, of prayer, of
heartbeats.

Romaan pauses for a moment, "My history escapes me at the moment."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "She is present, and unlikely to be leaving us. I
suggest a prayer to Her, if you wish to truly acquaint yourself with her."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "My task, as given to me, is to learn from you.
Not Her."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "But that is something I will do, regardless."

Avaris nods, unperturbed. "Healers, to sum it up very succinctly, and somewhat
inaccurately. Tending to the half-formed, mending the wounds of Elders, and so on. My Lady in
particular cares deeply for the half-formed, and strove mightily to find a way to see Them grow to
Their fullness as Elders in truth.

Turning the helm-like wedge of his head aside to regard the martial nature of the
sanctuary, Avaris remarks, "As one of a more militaristic frame of mind, you might have some idea of
the value of the Hamadhi when the Elder Wars broke out."

Romaan nods in thoughtfullness. "Yes, I know of the great Healers. They served the Elders well
during the War against the Soulless".

Avaris utters a low, resonating sound that shivers in the air briefly before
fading. "Most did, yes. Might you have a thought on the values that the Hamadhi as a whole
possessed?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I do not think that I have met your Lady in
person."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "I am not terribly surprised. She does not tend to
make a great deal of public appearances, from what I know of Her."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I did speak with Her over the City aether last
weave."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Indeed. I saw the transcripts."

Comprehension flashes across Romaan's face.

A look of understanding crossing his features, Romaan nods his head slowly.

A solemn feeling lingers in these halls, but curiously not weighty or heavy like gravity; instead,
it is earnest, light, like grace.

Avaris prompts, patiently, "Your thoughts on the values that the Hamadhi, as a
group, possessed?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "Oh, I am not the one to be thinking here. I just
wish to know more of Her."

In a cool, neutral tone, Avaris "Respectfully, you will be made to think if you
wish to know of my Lady. Wisdom is one of Her tenets, and I will not simply feed you the answers you
require for your duty."

Romaan pauses before he continues, "But they are a group, well most except the traitor, of
preserving life and scouring the world of the telltale signs of the Soulless".

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "Wisdom is shared by both our Ladies. Lady
Terentia does not value action without thought."

Avaris inclines his head in acknowledgement, extracting a hand from its brethren
from beneath his wings to turn it palm-up. "Just so. Preservation of life, restoration of the First
World, and cleansing that which is impure. My Lady, more than any of the Hamadhi, holds to these
aims fiercely indeed." Tilting his head aside a scant few degrees, he regards Romaan for a time,
then asks, "How would You estimate my Lady's ability in regards to combat?"

Romaan purses his lips before saying, "Nuturing the Half-Formed is something else the Hamadhi all
shared, as well."

Avaris turns his hand aside, indifferent. "None so much as my Lady."

Romaan nods his head at you, showing his acceptance.

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I would exect that Lady Lantra would be fierce in
combat. She would be very focused on Her goals and strategies to achieve them."

Haunting in its expression, an angelic choir sounds through the halls of Fort Vigilant, comforting
in their choice of solemn paean.

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "Most people think of Lady Terentia as the Warrior
that History has presented Her as. It was at Lord Meridian's urging she went into the Second Circle.
Based on my conversations with Her and those that know Her well, I believe She is more Scholar than
Warrior."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "She was who She was needed to be during the Elder
Wars, now She is becoming who She wants to be."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "If that makes any sense."

Like a gauntlet clutching your shoulder, a steeling authority bears down upon you as if a reminder
of your close proximity to the Even Bladed.

Avaris's chest vibrates with a quiet, resonating sound, preceding, "I had suspected
something along those lines, yes. There is a great deal to your Lady beneath the initial impression
of the stern commander, which most fail to look beneath." Antennae flicking aside idly, lifts his
head to study the statues, expressionless. "Many, I believe, make the same mistake with my Lady. The
neatly put Her in the category of defenseless healer, soft and quiet and meek." The sharp edges of
his golden, armoured fingers glint as they curl into a fist, the gesture slow, thoughtful. "It is
good that you are not one of them. She was trained to fight by the Second Circle. Did you know
that?"

The clicking of heels against the flagstoned floor beats like a steady drum, of war, of prayer, of
heartbeats.

Romaan shakes his head, "I did not know that".

Romaan says quietly, "it is the quiet ones that are usually the most dangerous."

Avaris gives life to a brief, humming laugh. "In some ways, in some cases. There
are many loud, overtly threatening individuals that are every bit as dangerous as they appear, while
there are likewise numerous quiet beings that are meek and unthreatening in truth. The trick is to
assess each threat individually for what it is. Not always easy."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "But, yes. Life. Life is very important to my Lady.
She was created to preserve it, to cleanse, to act as balm and salvation."

Romaan smiles softly, "I have found the ones that make the most noise are usually not the most
threatening. They tend to hide behind others. But yes, there are some quiet ones that offer not much
in the way of threat. Others are very deadly. You can usually tell by the intensity with which they
pay attention to what is happening around them."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I believe that Life, and the preservation of it,
the cleansing of it, is something else our Ladies share."

Avaris lifts a pauldroned shoulder in a mild shrug. "Kethuru and many great,
ravening monsters of a racuous bent come to mind. I take your meaning, however." The kephera shifts
his hand to brush the burnished curve of his thumb along the grip of his uppermost, white-scabbard
sword. "To varying degrees. Their approach is different enough, and I imagine so, too, is their
attitude on how that preservation and cleansing might be best accomplished."

Avaris traces two long, sinuous lines through the air, both terminating at the same
point. "The same destination, but different paths taken to get there, if you will."

Romaan relaxes his arms for a moment before resuming a military posture. "I was not thinking of
great Soulless beings, but more of adventurers. I do not pretend to know how the Divine in that
manner."

Romaan nods his head at you, showing his acceptance.

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "One area that I believe our Ladies diverge on
quite considerably is Their attachment to the Light."

Romaan blinks, "Oh? In what manner are they different?"

Avaris gestures to Romaan with his free hand, fingers splaying in invitation.
"First, your estimation of your Lady's stance on the Light, and to what extent She is attached to
it."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I believe She is joined very closely with the
Light. She is devoted to Meridian and by extension what He started when He splinterd. Also, the
Light stands forever against the Taint and the Traitors and She is most assuredly against the
Traitors and the Taint."

Avaris watches Romaan intently as he listens, the smooth, featureless plates of his
face providing no hint as to his reaction. "Tell me, then - Do you believe She would remain allied
with New Celest if the Light were to be somehow divorced from it?"

Romaan crosses his arms as he looks into your eyes. "That is a very interesting question. If New
Celest were to become divorced from the Light." Romaan pauses for a moment before continuing, "I
don't really see how that could happen but let us suppose it does somehow. Then New Celest would
have to have become corrupted somehow, taken over by the taint. In that case, She most certainly
would not remain allied with New Celest. I believe that She would not remain allied to New Celest
even if we chose to ally with Magnagora, unless it was to prevent the destruction of the First world
- for it did happen once to prevent the forests from destroying everything."

Avaris lifts a hand to flick it aside in a gleaming arc of gold. "Not tainted, not
corrupted. Let us assume that, somehow, the Light left to a new city, and Celest adopted another
power to back it. Both cities are aligned against the Taint and so on. Where do you believe She
would go?"

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "If the new Power was for Justice, destruction of
the Taint and the Traitors, then She may not leave with the Light. She has welcomed those from other
organizations into Her Order."

Avaris tips his hand towards Romaan, as if awarding a point in a match. "Yes. Now,
the same question, but for my Lady."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "Just based on the way you have presented this
topic, I am going to say She would go with the Light."

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "For I do not know Her. This is why I asked for
this discussion."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "I am well aware of why you have asked. As I have
expressed, I wish for you to consider the matters as we go. I find that people learn better when
prompted to search for answers and weigh them, rather being handed them."

Avaris returns his hand to clasp it with his others, nodding. "You are correct,
however. She would, I believe, go where the Light goes. She is very devoted to the Supernals, and
the values they and those of the Light espouse. That is a key difference between our two Ladies, I
feel."

Romaan smiles softly, "Oh I am not saying this is a bad thing. I am merely stating what I see as an
obvious difference."

As he nods slowly in your direction, you realize Romaan understands.

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Again, I will caution you that I am in no way an
authority on my Lady, and nor do I speak with Her voice or know Her thoughts, or will. These are
merely my estimations, so please keep that in mind."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Obvious to some, perhaps, but I have learned that
what may be apparent to a few, is impossible to see for many."

Romaan's eyes smile as he says, "Oh I would never presume to speak for my Lady, know Her Will or Her
thoughts. I know exactly what you mean.

Sir Romaan D'Varden, Knight of the Paladins says, "I tend to be one of the quiet, and hopefully,
dangerous ones we talked about earlier. I am fairly perceptive on most, but not all, levels."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say, "Few can truthfully say that are are perspicacious
on all levels, unfortunately. Now. I take it that you are not familiar with my Lady's core tenets?"

Romaan shakes his head, "No, I am not."

Avaris dips his head in an easy nod of acceptance, once more removing his lower,
left hand from behind his back. He taps the back of his loosely curled fingers against the grip of
the first, black scabbard that rests upon the left of his hip. "Fortitude." The hand descends a
slight distance, golden chitin clacking quietly against the lower blade, also sheathed in black.
"Wisdom." From here, he shifts his hand to his right side, where two scabbards of smooth, glossy
white depend. A gentle touch of pointed fingers atop the higher one. "Purity." A slow, almost
wistful caress along the flawless curve of the last, lower blade's protected length. "Devotion."

Avaris moves his hand away, slipping it back to its customary place atop the
others, beneath his wings. "Those are my Lady's tenets."

Romaan nods his head in understanding.