Endings and Beginnings

Legend has it that many years ago a great kingdom of dwarves existed in the mountain ranges to the northeast. A vast kingdom, carved into the earth, its depths never fully charted. From the mines came a wealth to support such a kingdom, to allow it to thrive and prosper. A dwarf with impeccable character and a great inner strength ruled from atop the mountain. A popular king, benevolent and kind, strong and virile, his virility evident in the sheer number of his offspring. Twenty-two all told, boys and girls. The youngest of these was Lumubella. Doted on by all, Lumubella was a spirited child. Spoiled rotten she was quickly labelled a "holy terror." In her infinite wisdom the Queen sent Lumubella to the temple of the Goddess of Fortune. A hard discipline Lumubella faced at the hands of the high priest, but it did not break her. In fact she flourished under the structure and discovered a talent for empathy buried among her cast off foibles. As she grew in her minority to a respectable lass, the kingdom came under attack. From the east came the trolls and their shaman allies, from the swamps to the south came the necrolords and their hordes of undead and from the underdark came the dark elves and their duergar brethren. All to take the vast wealth of the kingdom. To burn to ash, corrupt, defile and render its greatness into obscurity. From its allies the dwarves found now succor, as the elves were beset upon by the vast hordes or orcs, and the kingdoms of men were beset with corruption and apathy. The king was slain and his kingdom burned to dust. A remnant of a remnant survived and fled, a long march to the west and then south. They broke ground on the edges of the last bastion of light, a small encampment to safeguard what was left of a kingdom broken. Of young Lumubella's family, none remained save her. No kingdom and no crown and only a broken people left to inherit, she only had the faint hope of redemption. Only time will tell if that is enough.

Path to a Purpose

Lumubella's story continues after the remnants of her people find refuge at the Dwarven Encampment. She travels as an adventurer for a short time, making a name for herself as a member of the Healers guild in Seringale. A swift touch of her hands saved many a party member as she explored deep dungerons, the vast wilderness, and secret corners of this land. She grew in both poise and wisdom as she advanced through the guild. During this time she also wholly dedicated herself to her Goddess' as an adherent of Luck and endeavored to spread her teachings and the illumination that they can provide. Lumubella came to have a greater understanding of the world around her and the deep divisions racking it. She was assaulted several times for seemingly no reason, merely due to the mindless violence brought about by the evil prevalent in the lands. She discovered she had a knack for defending herself and thought to learn more so that she might defend others in the same way. She knew her limitations as a priestess and her lack of martial prowess and thus set out to train herself to become stronger in body, mind, and spirit. While doing so she studied the history of Serin and learned further truths regarding the nature of the eternal conflicts across the land. She decided then to apply to the Knights to do what she could to oppose evil wherever it may be and to make the world a better place for those who seek only to live in peace. Under the mentorship of Dame Rhoa and Sir Alkas and with the approval of the Sun God Lord Ceridwel, Lumubella was accepted as a squire into the ranks of the Knights of Valour. She fought as her conscience dictated and had victories as well as defeats. She never gave up the fight, however, and through the teachings of her Goddess' was even able to thrive knowing the truth of the relationship between luck and hope. She did not escape these battles wholly unscathed though, as she struggled reconciling the taking of a life with serving the greater good and the preservation of life she had always considered her highest value. Only her strength of spirit prevented her from breaking and allowed her to cope with such inner wranglings of conscience.

A tear stained missive

From: {Knight} Lumubella To: Serra Subject: A tear stained missive Content: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My Dearest Serra, Having lived your life fearless, vibrant, and free I find it only fitting that you feel no trepidation and instead a release as you move forward with your final journey. I hope you have properly bundled up and are warm as you take it. I feel relief that you have found fulfillment in a life so well lived, in the bonds you have shared and in the experiences that you not only lived, but documented so fervently. Not only did you learn many things but also did you recognize the importance in the dissemination of that knowledge in the teach to others. I can find no finer example from the past nor in the here and now of what a scholar should be. I had selfishly hoped to keep you with me even the tiniest bit longer as we spoke a tear-filled farewell. Though I cannot understand why you did not give me that, I cannot help but to feel shame that I could not find the gumption myself to say the words myself having known for some time what was to come. I will not seek forgiveness nor will I offer it as that is not our was is it? We never had anything to forgive as how could one betray ones own heart? Instead of forgiveness or apology what we had was the most sublime form of respect for each other that only needed recognition through thanks. So... I will say it now. Thank you. Thank you for confessing your feelings to me and allowing me to realize those that I had held hidden within myself, as alike as the deep currents under the sea that we watched as we treasured each others company. Thank you for being my one and only mentor. Thank you for the love between us, a love that could best be described as a perfect seal. Thank you for give me the homeless a home, not only in your heart but also welcoming me into your home and making a place to be mine alone. Nothing could provide me more simple a joy than to awaken to your well thought out gifts and letters. I will not apologize for not properly expressing my gratitude for the efforts you made to bring me comfort as it is not our way, but I hold out hope that you understood it and my feelings reached you. You even went so far as to leave me a painting to remember you by. When we last took time together and reflected on lifes foibles, I spoke of love's sly paradox, in making you whole it cuts you in half. There is a bitter truth to that, in coming to know the reality of love you come to change in a permenant way and can never turn back. The parallels between this fact and the journey that is one's life has granted me the wisdom to find a certain repose in it. A comfort in the love that has been and shall always be a part of us even beyond this journey. I do not think I shall find that same love with another, ever. In spite of this I have found my calm center. Far afield it has been from that night in which I vented upon you a fury of anger and shame, stemming from my secret fear that I shared then with you. I still have not shared it with any other, and do not know if I will find the courage to do so in this life. However, I am determined to overcome it one way or another. It is this one thing that keeps me moored here while you journey onto unknown places. I've always piled words and words on top of problems and quandarys until they collapsed from the sheer weight of the words. I hope this letter reaches you on your journey and will believe it does, bringing some small comfort to my overflowing heart. Hope, the grandest expression of the possibilities that luck can bring us. That you have regrets is a natural thing. Life is a mutable and transient thing, our choices forever putting us down one path or another and leaving behind the ones we could have taken. Do not let them trouble you and I will not let mine trouble me overmuch. I will not say farewell for our love has tethered our souls together with the finest lashings of spirit, and though you go ahead of me, one day I will take that journey myself and find you. With Eternal Gratitude and Love, Lumubella