Description
Species: Lahanian. The rough equivalent of humans from another aspect of the Multiverse. On sight alone, there are no differences between humans and lahanians. She has three marks on her face- one under each eye and one on her forehead- that distinguish her as a priestess of the Lahanian Empryea.
Age: She appears in her mid-thirties, just starting to show signs of age. In reality, she has lived for at least 400 Lahanian years. Her travels have caused her to lose exact count.
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: What a rude question to ask of a lady!
Eyes: A true, royal blue
Hair: Long white locks that are typically kept unbound
Garments: She has adopted the style of a sleeveless japanese kimono top for travels, a dark blue, with plain white trousers. It is belted with a simple piece of rope, from which is hung her satchel of tools. A quiver of arrows is always slung across her back, though she carries no visible bow to use them with. She is usually barefoot. Rarely seen, she dresses in flowing white ceremonial robes for special occassions.Personality
The priestess is a peaceful soul, and yet a powerful force of justice in the cosmos. She always prefers to settle disputes through mediation rather than violence, and she is a champion of the weak. She is deeply commited to the credos of her order, above them all mercy, justice, and dignity for all beings. She will never attack unless first provoked, and even then prefers a defensive strategy to an offensive one. She is not, however, a wilting flower. Dallas has an intellectual mind, trained as sharply as her body, balancing religion with reason.
Likes: Flowers, reading, meditation and conversation
Dislikes: Those who prey on weaker beings
Greatest Desire: To recruit enough apprentices that they can restore the Empryea to its former glory
Greatest Fear: Dragons
Greatest Strengths: Temperance, Fortitude, and Prudence
Greatest Flaws: Her intelligence can occassionally cause her to be less-than-patient with those who are not as quick as she is.
Equipment
Weapons: Reishinken ("divine soul sword") - A magically forged sword that has the ability to shift to three distinct weapons:
* longsword
* staff
* longbow
All the forms of Reishinken are black, adorned with several small blue gemstone and etched bolts of silver lightning. Often, Dallas will also channel her magics through it.
Nature's Guardian- An ancient artifact bestowed with the power to attract or repel metal objects. Its form is a compilation of leather armor, which Dallas currently wears.
Magical Abilities: As a priestess, her attacks center around divine power, purification, and healing. They are most effective against beings of evil, chaos, demons or undead.
Other Items: Teleportation Necklace: A small pendant that grants her the power to return to the Antongrad Seaside Towers at a moment's notice.
A pouch that contains her magic and healing tools:
* several small crystals
* mortar and pestle
* various herbs
* vials of pre-made salves and healing potions
* small candles
History
Dallas's Journal
Dallas was recognized for her potential at an early age. Born into a prestigious clan of powerful priestesses serving the Lahanian kingdon, she was schooled from her early youth in the ways of the Empryea. She trained rigorously across several weapon techniques, and primarily discovered a love of the bo staff and longbow, though she was adept with a sword as well. In her training, she also discovered a deep-seated fount of holy magic, which her studies honed and intensified to their current level.
When Dallas reached the tender age of 12, a great evil fell upon the realm. Every last citizen was called upon to defend the land from the wickedness known only as "The Dragon Mistress", and among the first volunteers were most members of the Empryea. But even their great magic and sharp battle skills proved no match for the Mistress, and countless were slain in her wake. Dallas was youngest among the survivors, numbers who were too few to restore the Empryea to its former magnificence. One by one the last priestesses faded into history, until only one remained. The old ways fell into obscurity, retold only as fairy tales to the young of the land. Only one woman remained true to the gods she had known her whole life.
And it was that woman the gods cursed with the task of restoring the Empryea. She would wander the multiverse, to realms innummerable, unable to go to the rest of the afterlife until her mission was fulfilled to their satisfaction.
And so she wanders...
The Lahanian EmpryeaIn days long past, the Empryea were a powerful and respected force in the realm of Lahan. The clan of priestesses held many positions of leadership in government of all levels, and also put their efforts towards humanitarian causes and social justice. They were ambassadors, doctors, advisors, teachers...wherever evil and ignorance existed in the world, they were there to combat it. Above all, however, they were the religious leaders of all the peoples in Lahan. They lived their lives in the service of Lahan's many gods, the creators and protectors of the realm.
The Pantheon- Viseron: Lord of the Dead
- Daena: Lady of the Born
- Sike: Lady of the Mind
- Uronis: Lord of the Heart
- Rhynia: The Hunter
- Lemari: The Grower
Also, the demi-gods Ailato, Myreen, and So'oken.
The Meerlaa (Code)The key tenets of the Empryea are in the form of vows taken by each and every member when she comes of age, usually at 12. They are:
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Care for the sick
- Visit the imprisoned
- Bury the dead
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Admonish sinners
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive offences willingly
- Comfort the afflicted
- Pray for the living and the dead
So begins...
That music seemed to have its intended effect, as the glow grew noticeably brighter the longer it went to work on Eva's rotting flesh, restoring it to its proper state. The corners of her lips turned up just slightly as she felt her own magic taking over, the curse shriveling away under the weight of the divine and life-giving. The words still flowed, synching with the music coming from the corridor, pushing every ounce of energy she had into repairing Eva's extensive wounds. Eventually, as the tissues healed, the pain would begin to ebb away, getting a little more tolerable with each passing moment as a new spot of bright pink flesh would make its appearance.
Dallas Reiger strolled in and whatnot, just to lurk.
((prolly not a bad idea))
The aid didn't go particularly noticed by the etranced priestess, but nonetheless it was a boon to the performance. The curse broken, Eva's flesh was healing nicely, and any sort of healin magic would do the trick in urging it onward. It was stitching itself back together inversely to the way it had spread, so that the oldest points of infection were taking the longest to restore, admittedly some spots having to regenerate entirely new flesh in the area. After several more moments, the glow about her hands receded, and she took a step back, blinking a couple of times as though she had just awoken from slumber. She did a quick survey of what lay before her eyes, and smiled gently. "Miss Eva, I think you are going to be just fine." She turned back to some of the other materials laid out upon the altar, tinkering with a few and shaking them up in a small vial to produce a strange purple liquid. She turned back towards Eva and put the vial against her lips. "This should ease the pain, and help you sleep."
It wouldn't take long at all for the concoction to have its intended effect, and she could see that Eva was just about on the brink of consciousness anyway. She didn't feel the woman would have much protest to being taken to rest for a while, so as carefully as she could manage, she looped Eva's good arm about her shoulders and picked up the woman, grunting slightly at the effort of dead weight, and carried her off to one of the many quarters housed within the temple complex. Simple stone walls and a soft bed were all she could offer right now, but perhaps that would be enough to allow the woman to recover in relative peace.
Dallas Reiger chuckled softly, smiling all the while as she headed out of the room.
This day had started thus far like any other. Waking and a morning ritual, followed by some peaceful time in meditation. It had now come to that part of the day where she went on about her tasks in the city at large, and as always, that seemed to draw her to Gambit's Bar. The tall woman and her cascade of snowy white hair strolled into the bar, bare feet silent but ebony staff clacking with every step. She was dressed simply as always in white trousers and a deep blue top that very nearly matched the shade of her eyes, which shone with their usual gentleness. She exuded an aura of tranquility and an air of easiness, coupled with her kindly smile, such as that of an old woman, though she looked no older than perhaps 30-something. There were three blue marks adorning her face, which was the only thing unusual about her compared to any other mortal human that frequented this place, but to those who knew her, it marked her as a priestess- target of aid-seekers and evil-doers alike, though for certainly different ends.
Those deep blue pools caught sight of Whisper and Natalie, and a faint smile touched her lips at seeing Ms. Oldburn up and about just like new. She hadn't heard what they were speaking about, but she happened to note the expressions on their faces, and her own fell slightly. A few long strides carried her toward the other two women. "Greetings..." was all she said, testing the waters for the reaction to her presence. All too often she had found herself walking in on conversations quite uninvited, with some dramatic consequences.
The name Whisper had spoken gave her enough of a spook to stiffen her muscles, the hairs on the back of her neck bristling slightly. It took a moment to regain herself, and she returned Natalie's smile with one of her own. "Nonsesne. I can think of very few beings I ever think ill of.." she let her voice trail off slightly as she returned her eyes to Whisper. "Speaking of which...might I ask what you were discussing? I hate to pry, but..." Well, she didn't really have an excuse for asking beyond her own curiosity.
The summary of the situation set all sorts of things turning in the priestess's mind, and for a brief moment she fell silent. Natalie's words returned her to the present, her brow raising slightly. "About what?" She eyed Natalie curiously, though her mind was still spinning with curiosities about Maleficus and Whisper. She tried to keep her gaze off Whisper, the woman already seemed on edge about it, and she hated to make her needlessly uncomfortable.
She let out a small chuckle, and a bright smile came to her face. "Perhaps we shall have to visit Sylvire together about the matter." She pointed to her chest, where the armor that she had been wearing before her own demise was now absent. "I can't imagine Sylvire would turn you or I away. in the meantime..." She stuck her hand into the pouch that hung at her side, retrieving her own callstone from it. "Take mine." She held it out for Natalie, a smile touching her lips at Whisper's words.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Rahal, and in direct counter to Whisper, her own mood seemed to soar, a broad grin coming to her face. "Dear gods, doesn't anyone STAY dead around here?" She snickered to herself. Well, one can't be serious all the time, now can they?
The priestess frowned and shook her head. "Yes, we know." Her brow creased slightly at his none-too-delicate broaching of the subject. "But we are more than those we associate with....all of us." She glanced breifly at Whisper before returning her attention to Natalie. "And it's true, I might have more difficulty contacting Sylvire. But I believe Taima might have a callstone as well...as soon as I figure out what happened to her." She frowned slightly, obviously disturbed by the dragonborn's inexplicably long absence as of late.
Sighed softly at Whisper disappeared, and moved to place a gentle hand on Natalie's shoulder. She vaguely recognized the smoky disappearance of Whisper as similar to Nyx, and could only imagine the effect it had on the sorceress. "I know this may not serve as much comfort, but I promise...no harm shall come to her under my watch. We will free her from Nyx....by any means necessary." She turned to Rahal, and gently pushed him away from Natalie. "I must tell you, if you don't let go of your pain, it's going to eat you alive." Her eyes looked at his with a startling focus, laserlike. "You don't have to trust her, but you should try to forgive her at least."
"You'll not forgive her for killing a woman who's practically immortal?" Her brow rose with a hint of a musement, though she managed to prevent a smile from tainting the serious look on her face. She crossed her arms across her chest, and the strange cock of her hip gave her an odd look, taking away from the edge of her expression.
At Natalie's plea, she returned her attention to the woman, her heart sinking at the sight of the other. "I promise, any way we must." She smiled a little. "It's nice to know I have someone else on my side." She wouldn't dare say it out loud, but she had watched too many of Whisper's friends give up on the woman entirely, and was grateful that Natalie wasn't one of them...yet.
Sighing softly, she turned back to Rahal once more. "I suppose that's all I can ask of you." Her nose flared slightly, knowing that she should expect better of him. What she wasn't certain of, however, was exactly how much his physical change may have also altered the way his mind works, despite the cleansing she and Taima had performed. She sighed again and shook her head, turning toward the bar and seeking out a [b]bartender[b]. "A hot tea, please!" Ugh, what she wouldn't give for the ability to get drunk once in a while.
The priestess placed a hand on his arm, and moved towards him to rest her forehead against his. "I know...I can only imagine what you must have felt..." She paused, realizing she did know exactly how he'd felt. Exactly the way she'd felt upon finding him at the bar, near the brink of the death of his existence as she knew it, teetering into the jaws of the enemy. She recalled the fear, the rage that had bubbled up in her, near uncontrollable, even by her sizeable willpower.
She chuckled slightly. "The only difference between us is that where you came so close to accomplishment, I would have come only to failure. Maleficus is too powerful for even myself to take on alone." Her jaw set tightly for a moment. "But I promise, he will pay for the torture he's put you through." She sighed heavily one more time, and turned back to Rahal with shining eyes. "Come now, this talk of torture and revenge is draining me. We're due for some down time." She picked up her staff in one hand, his hand in the other, and headed for the door.
Dallas Reiger strolls in and whatnot.
