Shards of Divinity

I hint of what has been happening recently.

Vinavia Orchaleum is known to be a priestess of something she calls the Star and Moons. Recently she also admitted to Kazzah that the one she prayed to was known as the Shining Lady. It was tasked to Vinavia during her priesthood to seek out the vile den of vampires that threatened the faithfull of the Shining Lady. Vinavia did not succeed and in death was turned to a vampire herself. Vinavia for many centuries has been lost without the voice of her Goddess but still maintains her faith.

Recently Kazzah came upon the shimmering specter of a woman by the shore playing her flute in a mournful tune. Kazzah learned that she was indeed real, and that she has plans for the future

To know what transpired speak to Kazzah about the shining lady or the threats the the Shining lady saw in her visions. To learn more about The Star and Moons seek out Vinavia Orchaleum.

If you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse - the ghostly apparition of the Shinning Lady walks the land, and the shadow she casts will not be far behind.


**Shards of Divinity**
The ESO world is full of tales of cults and splinter groups worshiping Deadric Princes and Divines, the rise and the fall of these will occur in this story line :)

If you seek parts in the roles to come Message me Vinavia Orchaleum - This is a fluid story line that has room to head in the direction of its actors and to bring members together for a common cause.

(( This seems really well thought out and interesting. I am interested in being involved if needed! Though not as a main character. Ri'sari has his paws full already. :P ))

((Hmmm Inata might be interested in this, though I would need more back ground to decide whether this is something Inata would pursue.))

****GUILD EVENT AT END OF STORY****

Vinavia Orchaleum and Servus Imperii made their way to the stables at the gates of the Baandari Trading Post. The rain began to fall as they approached the shabby wood pole fence.
" I hope this is not an omen of things to come" Vinavia said to the sky letting the first cold drops glance across her face unrestricted by the dark cowl. As she turned to see if Servus had even heard the comment she noticed his face, deep in inner thought.

"You must come to terms with this balance of the darkness and the light Servus, it will devour you from the inside...and anything you have left of your divine power will be overshadowed. It took your life, don't let it take your light." she turned away and shouted over the fence.

"Stable hand, we need our horses saddled, quickly before i drown in this damn mud!"
Vinavia turned back around and placed her hands on Servus's shoulders. " We did what we had to, what we must to continue to do the right thing, If others can do by blade and spell for the greater good what we just did with our...abilities, then is it not the same thing? I know this weighs on you, but you must come to terms with it. I think this little trip might help"

Servus looked Vinavia directly in the eye,"I know...i will do as you say Mistress, you tell me it must be and untill am sure otherwise, i will do as you has said" He looked up back to the stables. "I do not like this skulking in the shadows to finish off my enemy, I am used to face them head on with my blade and skills, then the gods decide who wins the outcome fair and just."

Vinavia presses her lips together only showing slight frustration....she quickly looks back to the stable "Its about time!"

The horses are drawn near and the two mount up and head out of the Post as the rain begins to fall harder with wind and thunder to begin in their wake.

On the trail over the next few hours Vinavia discuses the findings of her investigations of the local areas.

"While i was hunting down all ends of these rumors of dark cults i came across some notes about a mansion just past the river nearby. It would seem that whatever group i found was using it as a stop over point. I am still unsure as to who they are...I need to be sure of who they are."

They continued on in silence, Servus contemplating the conversation he had with Vinavia in the lounge before their departure and Vinavia peering intently through the forests ravines and shadowed depths and referring to the map just as often. Occasionally they stopped to speak to folk along the roads and villages to reorient themselves.

The light was fading into early dusk when they came upon the low arched wall beside the road. "This looks like it could belong to the mansion we seek." she looked back down to the map. "The Bosmer refereed to this place as the Vile Manse...." Vinavia pointed down to the map to show the spot the woodelf had pointed to on the map.

Servus looked up to the canopy, "lets do this then, its going to get darker."

The two rode up the overgrown trail to the base of a well appointed Mansion seated upon the rocky prominence of the hill. They tied their mounts to a sturdy wood near the path to the house.

As they made their way up to the door Vinavia got the sense of things watching her through the dust covered windows and shadowed woods all around. The sense of wrongness seeped through the haze dense air. Light took on an ominous cast and did nothing to chase away the feeling of darkness closing in.

The door proved to be simple and did not pose a challenge to get through.

Walking carefully into the mansion they let their eyes adjust in the foyer before moving into the house proper. The light was dimly cast by luminescent orbs located in a few cases and the air was thick with incense and woodsmoke from the dying fireplace.

Vinavia got close to Servus's side and whispered, " It seems we are alone, don't leave each others sight and ....i dont know what we are looking for, but when you find something let me know."

Servus nodded and moved to the dressers and trunks. Vinavia walked slowly along the book cases fingering the volumes and seeing if any lacked the gauze of dust that was prevalent throughout the place. Slowly making their way upstairs they quickly found journals and notes collected by someone who owned the mansion. References to deadric princes and dark rituals filled out a small study off the back landing.

Vinavia glanced around the landing outside of the room....her eyes scaned the dim interior and looked back to the rooms they had already passed through. "We are missing something, i can feel it.... its a heavy feel to the air....not old or ancient evil....something is here....i can feel it."

As Servus looked back to the book cases Vinavia started to walk out the door of the study. Vinavia's scream caused Servus jump to defensive stance and saw Vinavia clutching her had and fall to the floor. Her breathing was ragged and her brow glistened from concentration."

Servus dropped down to her side while scanning the stair landing for the cause. Vinavias hand shot up and grasped Servus's shoulder. " I am fine," Vinavia sighed out through shakes of her voice. She stood up with Servus for support and regained her composure. "Now i know its here, .....it also knows we are here now"

Servus guided Vinavia to the top of the stairs, "let us go down and see if there is something we missed, these notes will take some time to look through and figure out what is going on here anyway"

As they walked downstairs Vinavias renewed sense of being very close to the source of something dark edged at her mind. "Check the rooms down here again, we must have missed something"

It wasn't the work of another few minutes when Servus pushed over some sacks of flour to find a trapdoor to a basement. He called Vinavia over and pointed out the hidden entry.

"Can you feel that" she said look at the door. "That is defiantly the source, its darkness seeps out stronger than anything i have felt," Servus spoke in suspicious tones.

Vinavia stood looking at the door for a moment longer, "Help me down, i am going in". Servus looked at her, "Are you sure?"

Vinavia thought for a moment, "yes, if i am not back in twenty minutes come get me."
"take this." Vinavia hands Servus a medallion from around her neck, on one side the symbol of two moons overlapping and on the other side a star. Servus slips the necklace around his neck coming to rest next to his own medallion. Vinavia lifted the hatch and cautiously stepped onto the ladder leading down.

As soon as her head cleared the portal the door slammed down out of Servus grasp. He lunged after the rung and started pulling up on the handle but the groaning force of the iron and wood would not give to his strength.

Vinavia ungraciously fell the three remaining feet to the dirt covered stones. "Servus?! Servus are you ok?"
The muffled voice came back through the door,"Yes, are you hurt Vinavia? I cant open the hatch, something is holding it shut." Vinavia stepped back up the ladder and felt around pushing at the hatch from her side. "It wont budge" she claimed as she jumped back down to the floor.

Vinavia peered through the dim light and saw that the cellar went much deeper and showed signed of flickering light. "Servus, i am going to look deeper." Servus's alarmed voice came back " No, Vinavia let me go get help dont go any deeper."

"I wont leave sight of the door Servus, its just a flight of stairs. Give me a few minutes, if i dont come back to the hatch go find help, i dont want to end up starving in someones old musty basement."

She took a few cautious steps onto the staris. Vinavia straightened with resolve clutched her staff and began to walk stealthily down into the dim light below.

Minutes passed as Servus knelt at the hatch straining to hear for anything her could through the wood the separated them. A chill passed through Servus and he looked around the room. He then realized it wasnt the room....Vinavias amulet was cold to the touch...and seemed to lack the luster it once had in her hands.

Something wasn't right....Vinavia is in trouble. He said a prayer and touched the hatch "I will be back, hold on Vinavia.... i promise...i will be back."

Servus made his way out the door and back to the horses, as he untied his steed he looked to Vinavias horse Blood Moon. "I am not leaving you here at least, you ARE coming with me." He worked loose the tie to Vinavia's mount and they took off down the trails back to the main road and the way back to Woodhearth for help.

As Servus disappeared into the gloom of the deep forest leaving the Vile Manse behind eyes watched from the shadow of the recessed plaza to one side of the Mansion. It was a woman, ancient in age and scared by burns over her face. Her eyes were baleful and the shadows masked her body against the night. The moon could not penetrate the shadows she cast....and accusingly she glared up to the moon and sneered a smile.




**Vinavia is captured and an ancient evil stirs in the dark woods of Reapers March, What has been unearthed beneath the forests and threatens to see an end to Vinavia Orchaleum and the Shining Lady?**

************GUILD EVENT************

Form a group and race to free Vinavia Orchaleum from the clutches of an unknown evil. Groups will form up and enter the basement of the Vile Manse at normal guild event time of 10pm EST 7/10/14. The first group to locate Vinavia Orchaleum will recive 5k and one purple item of 40+ level. Please enter each group and members prior to the start of the event so Vinavia knows not to blow you up as you round the corner :)