The Harvest Moon Consortium

[Winterhawk99]

Amalda

In her otherworld version of the Pocket Canyon, Amalda got the restless. She had been alone for so long. Someone had prayed at her shrine, though it wasn't one of her folk. She woke from her lethargy and began to try to pay attention to the material world again.
She could feel a soul, though it was dedicated to another. Cautiously, she let herself examine it.
She found herself in a cave full of dead goblins. The young cleric stood by some smelting equipment, her wolf friend beside her.
She was real! The folk were back on Sierra Na. Amalda greeted Dorry gladly. They talked for a while and Amalda gave her Daisery's prayer book. Perhaps Dorry would be inspired to find the Pocket Canyon some day.

Amalda imagined the folk back again, their warm small houses filled with gathered things and laughter. The neglected gardens were still full of rich deep soil. Her love had kept the canyon beautiful in its emptiness.

In her otherworld, Amalda dreamed of music and dancing and the voices of her long dead beloved folk. She could create their semblances to people her otherworld, but their souls were gone who knows where? She resolved to let her grief go. There were folk in the world again. If they came to live in the Pocket Canyon, she had to be able to help them more. She had to be stronger.


Lyra checked the contents of the Stone of Confluence. It had taken her some time to grow accustomed to the weight of a hammer in her hands again, and even longer to find a copy of the ritual.
Everything was ready. It was time to strengthen the link between Amalda's planar canyon and the material canyon, time to bring them all back to the visible world again. All she needed was folk to perform the ritual, and the Lady had given her a good idea of where to start looking.


The Rite of Confluence.

To bring a place and its soul more closely together, music and prayer must sound together. Let the singer take the harp, the caster take the book, and any other participants take each a symbol of the entity or force concerned.

Gather round a focusing agent. This may be a crystal, crystalline rock, or a spell pool.

The caster must read from the book, steadily, despite any distractions. Let the singer sing and the participants respond by repeating the end of the last statement read. For example:

Caster:We are of one purpose. Here in the earth's heart, (name of being or force) We call on you.
Participants: (name) We call on you.

[Since the caster may be arcane or divine and of various persuasions, there will be a space in
the ritual for the Caster and participants to invoke appropriately]

At the indicated moment in the ritual, let all cast those with a symbol cast its spell.

Here it starts.

Concentrate on the focus.

Caster: You are still anchored here. (name of force or entity), you are here all ready.

Participant: (N), You are here all ready.

Caster: Here in the earth's heart, we are of one purpose. (N), We call on you.

Participant: (N),we call on you.

[Add original invocations, if desired, until the caster is satisfied the link has been started.]

Caster:(N), Here we hold your symbols. As we say your name, again, together, let them help you back to your place in this world.
(N), We say your name again.

All: (N), We say your name again.

[Cast the spells on each ritual object.]


Sweetpea, Droor, and Rigo were near the stairs to Morzelmore. Flashes of lightening played around them but left them unharmed.
Then a gate opened. Allisty had been sent by the goddess Sussera to help her friend Amalda back into closer alignment with the material world again. She had told Allisty to find Sweetpea and any who would aid her and ask for their help.
While Allisty explained about the ritual, to her great relief, the archmage Melocia arrived and agreed to assist them. A magic user was needed to focus the Ritual of Confluence and ensure that the material and otherworld Pocket Canyons were the things brought together and not who knew what or where. Amalda's fey could assist the adventurers, but they had spent far to long in her pocket plane to act as anchors for the ritual.
Rigo, Sweetpea, Melocia, and Droor set out for the Pocket Canyon, battling minotaurs and spiders on the way. When the valiant adventurers reached the Northern Cave, Annwyn was putting the final touches on some demolition powder. She gave it to Droor, who tossed it into the rocks blocking the tunnel entrance. When they reached the Northern Tunnel, the water fey Siranna awaited them. She led them underwater to a temple at the bottom of the lake. Melocia took a flask and filled it with water from the sacred fountain. When she poured it out again, she was gifted with a copy of the Ritual of Confluence. The adventurers swam back to the surface, and holding the blessed staffs crafted for them high, they performed the ritual. Powerful magical energies were unleashed, destroying the stones that blocked the North River entrance to the tunnel(though the bespelled door remained intact).
The adventurers found themselves in Amalda's Planar Canyon, and received her hearty thanks.
Wearily, they returned to Morzelmore, having earned the gratitude of two goddesses.


In the Pocket Canyon birds sing, as Lyra tends a little plot of garden. In the cave in its cliffs, two busy mountain fey work at their smithcraft.
The tunnel cave is open and the Stone of Confluence is accessible to anyone who might obtain the book, fulfill its requirements, and desire to perform the ritual.
From her Planar Canyon, Amalda keeps an eye on the folk who especially interest her, especially Sweetpea and Dorry Puddleduck, who brought her attention back to the material plane. The fey who took refuge with her have returned to Sierra Na.
Rigo, Sweetpea, Droor, and Melocia changed a bit of the world.


Written by Maddyanne