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She sat alone, deep in the druids sanctuary. She would sit here for a day, maybe more. She had a lot to think about, and needed all the guidance the wisdom of Silvanus and the grove could give her.
A piece of paper. Thats what it was all about. A worthless piece of paper.
At first it was just a nuisance. Guards would spot her and she would run. No harm done.
But now this diabolical cousin threatened more. Who was he anyways? How is it she had never met or heard of this other tiefling before? He did not hide it, not like she was being forced to do now. He was apparently a tool, probably Baatezu heritage considering how he embraced this pointless law as if it were important.
But no, he was probably something more. An instigator, likely. He may well have pushed this law forward. Or there was another possibility, the one she feared most, the possibility that this paper turned him into a slave, controlled him. It was well within the realm of possibility, with all the mages who wielded insane amounts of power.
Why else would they threaten a war over her!? She was one scared tiefling that they would hunt and murder over a mere piece of paper. Why else would this be so important if it was not magical? How could a piece of paper help anything? She wasn't about to be at their beck and call, she was a druid, and only ventured into civilization to observe and study.
She didn't know what the truth was, perhaps only Shar knew this secret. But Serena knew there was something huge that was kept hidden.
But what if she was wrong? What if it was just paper? It would certainly not be worth a war. The forest would suffer immensely, and she didn't want to see the city destroyed as it would be, well maybe a little.
There was more to it though. Hano told her of rebellion over this law. Outlying villages rejecting the city's authority. The temples knew it was unjust, but they had yet to act. Over a piece of paper.
And yet even with this threat of chaos, the city refused to budge. Why? Why why why? She couldn't see the answer.
But she couldn't forget the crimes Sundren had commited against her. Crimes long unpunished. The "defenders" who looked at her with murder in their eyes, eager to kill her for what she was. Again and again she would be attacked and forced to run. She always ran to the grove, where else was there? Her body had long healed from their blades but the scar on her memory would always be there. "No different from Luskan," she learned.
Kharhaz may have rescued her and ultimately stopped the crimes against her, but she knew the thoughts remained. He couldn't change what they felt and thought about her. Her horns, tiny insignificant horns, inspired hate in others. She refused to hide then. She was who she was. But now its worse.
Now this paper would force her to be within arms reach of these guards, many who were no doubt the same ones who cut into her before. And she knew there was nothing that would prevent them from attacking her again. Thats why she always ran. She was faster than them, and the forest opened for her while it closed upon them. But this paper would take her advantage away. And if it was just paper, they could destroy it on a whim. Then what!?
She was scared. Thats what it boiled down to. The stare of Bane himself could not be more terrifying, and perhaps, she thought, perhaps he was behind it all indeed.
She saw only two options. To reject this paper and leave this forest she has made her own, flee the land, maybe wander into the spine, or perhaps flee back to the Coldwood. Or maybe further south. Or she could surrender, take this paper, and possibly lose everything, her mind, her life, her soul, to this insane mess that they called civilization.
But she also knew her mind was chaotic, paranoid, scared. She couldn't really think clearly enough to make a decision. Thats why she came here. She came to pray to Silvanus. He was infinitely wiser than she, and no doubt had more insight and guidance to offer her. Perhaps even the Keeper, who has been entirely silent on this matter to date, would finally offer her some guidance.
She had no idea what they might say, but she was listening hard, she needed guidance.
A piece of paper. Thats what it was all about. A worthless piece of paper.
At first it was just a nuisance. Guards would spot her and she would run. No harm done.
But now this diabolical cousin threatened more. Who was he anyways? How is it she had never met or heard of this other tiefling before? He did not hide it, not like she was being forced to do now. He was apparently a tool, probably Baatezu heritage considering how he embraced this pointless law as if it were important.
But no, he was probably something more. An instigator, likely. He may well have pushed this law forward. Or there was another possibility, the one she feared most, the possibility that this paper turned him into a slave, controlled him. It was well within the realm of possibility, with all the mages who wielded insane amounts of power.
Why else would they threaten a war over her!? She was one scared tiefling that they would hunt and murder over a mere piece of paper. Why else would this be so important if it was not magical? How could a piece of paper help anything? She wasn't about to be at their beck and call, she was a druid, and only ventured into civilization to observe and study.
She didn't know what the truth was, perhaps only Shar knew this secret. But Serena knew there was something huge that was kept hidden.
But what if she was wrong? What if it was just paper? It would certainly not be worth a war. The forest would suffer immensely, and she didn't want to see the city destroyed as it would be, well maybe a little.
There was more to it though. Hano told her of rebellion over this law. Outlying villages rejecting the city's authority. The temples knew it was unjust, but they had yet to act. Over a piece of paper.
And yet even with this threat of chaos, the city refused to budge. Why? Why why why? She couldn't see the answer.
But she couldn't forget the crimes Sundren had commited against her. Crimes long unpunished. The "defenders" who looked at her with murder in their eyes, eager to kill her for what she was. Again and again she would be attacked and forced to run. She always ran to the grove, where else was there? Her body had long healed from their blades but the scar on her memory would always be there. "No different from Luskan," she learned.
Kharhaz may have rescued her and ultimately stopped the crimes against her, but she knew the thoughts remained. He couldn't change what they felt and thought about her. Her horns, tiny insignificant horns, inspired hate in others. She refused to hide then. She was who she was. But now its worse.
Now this paper would force her to be within arms reach of these guards, many who were no doubt the same ones who cut into her before. And she knew there was nothing that would prevent them from attacking her again. Thats why she always ran. She was faster than them, and the forest opened for her while it closed upon them. But this paper would take her advantage away. And if it was just paper, they could destroy it on a whim. Then what!?
She was scared. Thats what it boiled down to. The stare of Bane himself could not be more terrifying, and perhaps, she thought, perhaps he was behind it all indeed.
She saw only two options. To reject this paper and leave this forest she has made her own, flee the land, maybe wander into the spine, or perhaps flee back to the Coldwood. Or maybe further south. Or she could surrender, take this paper, and possibly lose everything, her mind, her life, her soul, to this insane mess that they called civilization.
But she also knew her mind was chaotic, paranoid, scared. She couldn't really think clearly enough to make a decision. Thats why she came here. She came to pray to Silvanus. He was infinitely wiser than she, and no doubt had more insight and guidance to offer her. Perhaps even the Keeper, who has been entirely silent on this matter to date, would finally offer her some guidance.
She had no idea what they might say, but she was listening hard, she needed guidance.