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  1. Journals

Calliope - Session 09 to 11

Song
Session 09 to 12 - The Mossy Temple
May 26, 2020
Demetria’s Grasp
(Tune: an enchanting melody that starts light and airy, and gets darker and more foreboding as it goes on.)

Follow me mortal,
Come with me home,
Into the heart of the Old Woods.1
Your troubles abandoned;2
Your happiness sown,
As long as you promise to love me.

You’ll have endless riches,
A life free from pain:
All you need do is adore me.
See my eyes filled with kindness,
Hear my voice, just the same;
You can stay with me forever.

Dance in the meadows, 
Play in the glades,
Eat of the bounty around you.
Together we’ll while away,
All of our days,
Safe in a temple of Titans.3

Worry not, little mortal,
You need not regret,
I promise that this is the right choice.
Fear not for your family,
For they’ll soon forget.
It's all for the best I assure you.

Mind not the creatures,4
Who hide in the shade,
They’re only there to protect you.
Should you get lost,
They’ll come to your aid,
To bring you home to me.

You’re scared of the future,
I do understand:
Free will is such a burden.
What are you waiting for?
Just take my hand.
I ask only your life as payment.

Hush now, young mortal,
No need for alarm.
Aren’t you tired of fighting?
In only a moment,
You’ll be safe from harm,
Held the arms of our Lady.5

Footnotes

1The Oldwoods might be home to some terrible things, but it really is beautiful. I got to scout around the temple some, and for all that it was a ruin, it was pretty breathtaking. Helikaon came with me. He doesn’t seem to trust me on my own - I think he is afraid that I am going to get into trouble. Which is a little funny, considering it was him that ended up all tangled in roots! He also really isn’t very good at staying hidden… he is probably about as loud, as subtle and as shiny as a dragon! Of course, he did manage to pull me out of the rubble after I let my curiosity override my common sense... so I suppose his concern might not be unfounded. Perhaps we need to keep an eye on eachother.


2Finding a shield bearing Estor’s likeness in the temple left me troubled. It brought up… not a memory exactly but more of an echo of old feelings that I am struggling to put words to. Apprehension and an uncomfortable, unbearable sadness. I tried to put them aside but, when Demetria cursed his name, those feelings reared themselves again. He WAS the kind of man she said he was. I think.

And now I can’t help but wonder: if Estor, for whom a whole city was named in tribute, deserves her ire, what about the other Dragonlords? They were meant to be heroes, weren’t they? Like us...


3The temple was built for Gygans. There were statues of them. I didn’t like them, though I couldn’t quite put a finger on the feeling they evoked at the time. Then I saw the real Gygan protecting Demetria, and I realised: it was fear. 

Fear. It sounds stupid, but I think I’d forgotten what it felt like. Up until now, whether it is through bravery or ignorance, nothing has really scared me. Even that silly sea hag’s magic didn’t seem to work on me. But seeing that Gygan sent shivers down my spine and I can’t really explain why.


4Not everyone we met in the temple wanted to kill us (or, to be more accurate, Alke.) A nice Satyr named Loreus joined us in our rescue attempt after hearing what we were trying to do. He seemed rather taken by Alke! I wonder if we might see more of him? Either way, it was nice to encounter someone in the Oldwoods that wasn’t trying to horribly murder her…


5Poor Alke. What a strange and cruel thing for Lutheria to want to play with her life like she is. I wonder if there is a reason she is doing this? Or does Alke just have the misfortune of being judged an interesting toy?

When Alke woke up again after dying, I was so happy that I didn’t even consider it might not be her anymore. Trust Hippofilius to approach things with a clear head - though I dread to think what might have happened if she had not given him a satisfactory answer.

Of course, as happy as I was to see her alive, it meant we failed. We couldn’t save her from her fate. Perhaps that is not surprising: all the stories say that the will of the Fates is inescapable. Now we just need to find out if it is changeable. Though I do wonder what they might want in return for such a service… I suppose we are going to find out. 

February 19th, 2021