You come in ignorance, Lisennet. How would you depart? --- &RPaward

...for in character discussions, contributions and Wheel of Time themed stories.
Lisennet
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:21 am

You come in ignorance, Lisennet. How would you depart? --- &RPaward

Post by Lisennet » Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:24 pm

Ely edit 22 Oct 2021:

1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.

Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: o (part 1 doesn't get the bonus, note)

Total: 2 qps

*****************************************

Lisennet rarely comes back for visits. The Tower had not permitted them when she was a Novice and she only rarely had time for visits as Accepted. At first she regretted it, but now she doesn't mind anymore. Sad memories and haunted visions still plague her when she comes here.

So much time has passed, her childhood friends have all grown old. She barely recognizes those that have not already passed away. Best to not dwell on it too much, she keeps reminding herself. This is a celebration. A marriage should contain laughter, drinking, music and dancing. She enjoys the music and especially the drinking. Laughter was becoming harder and dancing she had sworn off long ago.

Technically, the bride is related to her. The grandchild of her long gone sister. Marian does not know this, nobody speaks of it anymore. Lisennet is just "the aunt" now. Best for everyone to keep it that way. She's here to keep a close watch on the brother of the groom, Brando. Rumors about him have reached the White Tower and she's here to see if any of it is true. If possible to bring him in peacefully; otherwise, to analyze and report. Usually these rumors don't amount to much, but for some reason she feels this time might be different.

"Hey Aunti!" Marian said as she walks up to her at the bar and gives her an awkward hug, "Nice you could make it - we know you're so busy. You're looking great, I hope I look this young at your age" - and she doesn't know half of it. Marian rubs over her belly a bit, probably hasn't told anyone yet but the signs are clear. Luckily she's getting married tonight. "Hey Marian, I'm happy I could get here in time", Lisennet replies. Not a lie, there are worse places to be, and the ale was fine. "Looking forward to settling down?" she asked after another gulp of ale, trying to make some conversation. Marian doesn't quite hear it though, as she is already making her way to other guests. Just as well.

Looking at the gathering in silence from her corner in the bar, Lisennet couldn't help reminiscing. It had been quiet, and peaceful. As much peace as was possible for a young girl in Saldaea. She had thought she would find a husband, start a family of her own, and grow old here. With a stab of dismay, she drank another gulp of her beer, and whispered to her mug, "This is why I never visit anymore".

Suddenly she sees some movement through one of the windows. A man wearing a hood, careful to not stand out. Too careful. Looking in, their eyes lock for a second. Seeing those cold eyes again sends a shiver down her spine. "Are you alright?" the barkeep asks her "Maybe no more ale for you?", she waves away the remark with her hand, no reason to start an argument. "I'm grabbing some fresh air" she replies instead. The barkeep seems satisfied. She has never lost her composure like this before.

Those eyes. She has seen them only once before, in a place that seemed real, but was not - or so she was told. This man is real and just outside of the inn. Last time she saw him, he had caused a big slaughter. This time she is going to prevent him. Walking out the door, she is just in time to see the man turn the corner towards the barn. She stalks after him, not yet embracing the source but ready to fight when needed.

As the man with the cold eyes enters the cow barn, Lisennet embraces the source and follows into the darkness of the barn. Quickly she realises this is a mistake, a big mistake! The man had led her into a trap. She only has time to fling one fireball just before something hits her hard. The wicked knife bladed axe of the Myrddraal who had become known as Razhak hits her hard from the left. She hears something CRACK in her shoulder and is flung over to the side. Weaves of Air she can't sense hold her up, stopping her from falling to the floor. Weaves she /can/ sense slam a shield in place between her and the source, not that it matters much. The man with the cold eyes is still looking at her, while her vision is slowing becoming darker than the barn.

The only sound she can hear is the horrible rasping laugh of Razhak, and even that is fading out.
Last edited by Lisennet on Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Lisennet
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:21 am

Re: You come in ignorance, Lisennet. How would you depart? --- &RPaward

Post by Lisennet » Fri Nov 12, 2021 4:44 pm

Ely edit 27 nov 2021:

1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.

Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x

Total: 3 qps

*****************************************

With a start Lisennet wakes and finds herself cold and naked. Eyes slowly adjusting to the bright light, she takes in her surroundings. She is in a lush, green forest, but the air feels a lot colder than Saldaea. Something absolutely feels off, but she cannot put her finger on it. Waking up naked is never a good sign, but she has learned to ignore the cold. Some smoke is coming from right over the hill, that seems like a good place to look for clues.

Coming over the hill a seemingly abandoned village comes into sight. With half of the houses burnt down and those still burning this not a great sight. "Is anyone still alive in there?" she yells. No reply. Heading towards a somewhat intact building, she sees the door is ajar and walks in cautiously. After rummaging through there, she finds some clothes that fit surprisingly well. Not much good in battle, but a start against the cold. One can only ignore it so long before the body starts complaining, this should hold it off a bit longer.

Suddenly she hears a loud screech coming from outside. She braces herself, embraces Saidar with effort - why does it take effort? - and cautiously makes her way outside. "Ah, Lisennet, we meet again" a man with the cold eyes says. The face and voice seem familiar, but from where she could not say. Her mind is foggy at best, like she is in a dream of a dream. The pack of trollocs just in front of him seem real enough. They are coming towards her, faster and faster. "Let's see how you do with these" the man says, just before he creates a gateway and walks through it. A male channeler, she should have known - and should have acted! He's gone now. She starts weaving Air and Earth to split the ground before the trollocs catch her when she sees a 6-pointed star on the ground between her and the trollocs.

This is it. She has been trained for this. How could she not have realized this before?

Quickly, but calm and with her wits about she walks to the star. The trollocs are going to be a problem, but she can deal with them swiftly while weaving the first of her hundred weaves. She uses the air part of the weave to split the pack, throwing them sideways. Not dead, but out of the way. Completing the first weave reveals a marked doorway at the house to her left. Only 2 trollocs between her and there. Fire makes short work of them, casting their bodies aside with flows of Air while keeping the others at a distance she can make it while keeping her calm. Lisennet walks through the doorway with a smile on her face.

--

Into the darkness she stumbles. Where is she? Why is it so hot in here? Lisennet quickly realizes her body is aching, her clothing is in tatters, but she is still able to walk. Then the smell hits her. It smells like burning flesh. Human flesh? Perhaps. There's noise coming from outside, wherever outside is. She seems to be in a tent, a shabby and dirty tent. Opening the flap makes her wish she had not. "Just find the star" she whispers to herself. "Star? Oh - this is it!", she suddenly remembers. Weave 50, halfway. She does not know much more, but she's looking around the camp which can only be one of the breeding pens of the Trollocs. Cooking pots everywhere and in the distance the furnace of Thakandar. One of the cooking pots has a carving of the 6-pointed star. As she is making her way towards this pot, she notices the three captured Aes Sedai to her left. Naked, bound to the wall with chains, gagged and most surely shielded. The faces and rings give them away to Lisennet, though she does not recognize them. Perhaps she can use the 50th weave to set them free. While coming close to the pot with the six-pointed star, she starts the weave and splits off some streams of fire to melt the chains that bound them.

Finishing the weave, which mostly just creates a display of light and sounds, Lisennet looks around. "Where is that doorway?" she whispers to herself. Perhaps first tend to the Aes Sedai, they are most certainly going to die here if she leaves them shielded. She had to leave people behind before, but never so helpless as these. As she makes her way to the Aes Sedai, a woman in dark red comes from behind the wall the women were bound to. A strong channeler, not currently holding the source but a match for Lisennet if not stronger than her. "Hi Lisennet, we have been watching you" - she says. The voice and face feel familiar but Lisennet cannot place them. Friend of enemy? She knows her name, but that doesn't say much. "Part of the test, ignore her and free the Aes Sedai" Lisennet whispers to herself.

"This will not go as you think it will, Lisennet", the woman says in her buttery silk voice. "We changed the test, the doorway you seek wil only come if you kill these so-called Aes Sedai.", she waves with her hand towards them as if to make a point. Lisennet stops. "How can this be?" she gasps. Then she notices the six-pointed star, created with streaks of blood, on each of the unconscious Aes Sedai.

Lisennet
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:21 am

Re: You come in ignorance, Lisennet. How would you depart? --- &RPaward

Post by Lisennet » Thu Nov 18, 2021 4:42 am

Ely edit 27 nov 2021:

1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.

Potential +1 qp: if part of a series: x

Total: 2 qps

*****************************************

Bloodied, battered, and shivering, Lisennet emerges from the obsidian ter'angreal. A hundred different encounters, a hundred different weaves. She now remembers them all. And she remembers the death. So much death.

As if a switch is turned off, Lisennet stops shivering and then straightens, standing proud. The light in her eyes seems to have gotten a dark gleam to them that was not there before.

"It is done, the Shadow is now graven on your bones.", Chrissy says while bobbing her head. "And not a second too soon", Razhak hisses - anger stil clearly in his voice. He motions towards the other twelve Myrddraal that they can leave. Most of them hooded, but a few stand out still. Fiddler has a twisted smirk on his face. Anansi clearly looks bored and fades away almost before the motion. He follows suit, and within seconds they are all gone.

The Dreadlords stay a bit longer, Chrissy at their front. "They never like when we do it this way; it is more involved than the simple Turning. More rewarding though, if the subject survives", Chrissy says with her beautiful voice. "There is a bit more work to be done for you still", she continues as she nods at Lisennet, "you know what to do".

After giving Lisennet her dress and ring back, Chrissy opens a Gateway to just outside of Tar Valon. Lisennet does not waste time and steps through it, knowing she does not have to walk among the light much longer. "See you soon, sister" Chrissy says softly, before closing the Gateway.

[Logs of the reveal: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=15322 ]

Lisennet
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:21 am

Re: You come in ignorance, Lisennet. How would you depart? --- &RPaward

Post by Lisennet » Fri May 12, 2023 11:16 am

Shaidar Haran hisses, 'I hope you serve me well, Lisennet, and you should fear failure because I am not kind or forgiving.'

----

Standing at the repulsive well of blood, Lisennet takes in the stench of the Keep. At one time, she would have gagged at the smell. Now she takes pleasure in it - pleasure in the noise, the harsh language spoken, the force with which things are being done, the brutality. She grabs an arm from the cookpot and sinks her teeth into the cooked human flesh. Her body responds with a shocking vigor and adrenaline rush at the taste - an awakening.

This place is incomparable to where she was brought up, the Saldaean Farmlands. Nor does it bear any resemblance to Tar Valon, let alone the White Tower where she had spent hundreds of years scheming in the dark, being obedient, keeping up appearances.

She thinks back to the people who thought of her as a 'friend': Aes Sedai, Warders, Accepted, and others from different places. She remembers Guards of the Queen of Andor, Shienaran Lancers, and even one Child of the Light. Ah, that lovely Child - in another life, they could have been lovers, maybe. All betrayed in the end. Interesting how things could change.

And the people she used to call friends, the friends of the Dark...so simple it had seemed at first. She had learned nothing is ever simple. The Great Lord gives, the Great Lord takes. There is always a price. Most of her friends just ceased to be, it seemed. Vanished, perhaps in a dungeon. And the few that had not vanished, had changed.

Betrayal had become second nature to all. This is one of the gifts. Her once lovely Warder, Faiz, also got gifted. Private lessons from Ilsae were the drop, no doubt still scheming on how to bring her down. No matter now. And Chrissy, her example. Her mentor. Doing her bidding had been as dangerous as ignoring it. That too had to end.

There could be no trust. In the dark, Lisennet had found herself. She had to fall deep to be remade. Each kill, and each death, brought her closer to here - the stench of the Keep. To be accepted here, one needs to lose all humanity, lose hope, filling the void with hatred and ambition.

Was it all worth it, she wonders for a second.

'Hell yes,' she whispers to herself as she throws the limb back into the pot and mounts her shadow stallion. She lets out a primal scream and bellows, 'I have come home'.

[Link to the ToD post where this is posted: viewtopic.php?f=6&p=148522#p148522]

---- OOC below ---
In April 2020 I started down the Darkfriend path as Lisennet. It was a fun way to rejuvenate the MUD for me, the player.
While we now, I think, can all agree that the DF path as it was is not a sustainable option, I had a lot of fun in with it in 2020.

Together with the player of Faiz and a few others we grinded out the quests. It's a bit eye-watering what we have handed in for aqps, but at the time that was the only option. In the beginning of 2021 I pretty much exhausted all aqp options except for the player-interaction quests, which was very hard to complete for me. Thanks to Chrissy and Fiddler I did get a few aqps in that department, but it was slow going.

Around this time I focussed more on my White Tower progress and got quite far with that. But then, a few months later, it was possible for DFs to turn TPs into aqps. This was the turning point for me and after the summer of 2021 I reached Known Darkfriend (as you can read in the previous post). Had quite a bit of ups and downs in that run, most private, some very public.

I'm very happy Lisennet has been remade now and see this as a new beginning for her. A fresh start.
Looking forward to learning the ropes and seeing you all ingame.

PS.
In the story I have not shouted out to the LS chars I've played with by name. You know who you are.
Even though my betrayal dislodged some of those relations, I'm happy it's since been resolved and love the shared history we have.

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