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Dominique Darkwatch
Dominique Darkwatch, cleric of Iluvatar, has meditated upon the events of the night before King Olwe's departure. She thinks of the king's words and his charge to find the will of Iluvatar through the Vala Manwe.
Until this point, her duties have been relatively simple, in that she does healing in the name of Eru and has performed a few rituals; an elven wedding and even summoning a wind of Manwe on one occasion. She has used the harp Iluvatar gave her to calm troubled hearts and the tears Nienna gave her to help heal broken bodies. She has occasionally shared her belief system with others. But mostly she has tried to be helpful and supportive of those in the realm while not bothering the Valar overly much. In fact, she has not contacted them directly at all outside of her regular prayers since being chosen by Eru Iluvatar and since her dream-like encounter with Nienna. And the valar have certainly not contacted her since then.
But now, she can not be silent nor wait any longer. The life of King Olwe hangs in the balance, and Dominique needs to get the attention of Manwe, or at least one of the vala who can convey a message to him. So now she contemplates her options.
She knows she can use her harp, and perhaps her music can be carried on the winds. However, the message she needs to transmit is quite complicated and detailed. Short of setting up an audience with the Vala himself, this would not serve. She needs to send a detailed letter.
She sits and begins to write a draft of the letter.
Until this point, her duties have been relatively simple, in that she does healing in the name of Eru and has performed a few rituals; an elven wedding and even summoning a wind of Manwe on one occasion. She has used the harp Iluvatar gave her to calm troubled hearts and the tears Nienna gave her to help heal broken bodies. She has occasionally shared her belief system with others. But mostly she has tried to be helpful and supportive of those in the realm while not bothering the Valar overly much. In fact, she has not contacted them directly at all outside of her regular prayers since being chosen by Eru Iluvatar and since her dream-like encounter with Nienna. And the valar have certainly not contacted her since then.
But now, she can not be silent nor wait any longer. The life of King Olwe hangs in the balance, and Dominique needs to get the attention of Manwe, or at least one of the vala who can convey a message to him. So now she contemplates her options.
She knows she can use her harp, and perhaps her music can be carried on the winds. However, the message she needs to transmit is quite complicated and detailed. Short of setting up an audience with the Vala himself, this would not serve. She needs to send a detailed letter.
She sits and begins to write a draft of the letter.
“To the most high Vala, Manwe
I am Dominique Darkwatch of the Sylvan elves and cleric of Iluvatar, chosen by Eru Himself to serve among the elves and to venerate those of you who have served Him since the beginning of time as cocreators of Arda. I am sending you a message of great urgency on behalf of King Olwe, King of the Teleri of Alqualonde. My lord, he is in a grievous state and is not well at all. His very life hangs in the balance as he has been infected by some mysterious black flowers that we Sylvans have named “Nightmare's Tears.” These flowers are very dangerous and have resulted in the deaths of many beings here in Sylvhara and surrounding realms. And many who were not killed have been driven to a sort of mental degeneration into madness, which I fear is the case for King Olwe.”
At this point Dominique pauses and wipes the tears from her eyes, as she remembers the look in the King's eyes, and the darkness surrounding him. She softly prays and then rebukes herself as she know the situation is uegent and grave. She steels herself for the task at hand and resumes writing.
“Our mages have developed a treatment for the poison, but it is very severe and costly, my Lord Manwe. It involves a ritual of cleansing where the victim is to be sacrificed at the hands of a loved one, whose tears are then to mingle with the blood of the slain victim. The love from the tears mingles with and cleanses the blood, which is then transformed through a divine rite of resurrection. This ritual was last performed during the fall equinox and successfully treated 4 individuals from infection from the Nightmare's Tears.
"I know the cure is very severe, and it troubles me. However the prospect of losing such a one as King Olwe troubles me much more. There is a darkness that spreads across all elven lands, and his guidance and leadership are much needed at this time. We are in dire need of a king such as Olwe now more than ever. To lose him would lead all of us elves into a state of deep despair. King Olwe has refused to act on this without some confirmation from you, Lord Manwe, as he has always sought and continues to seek, the will of Iluvatar in such things. Even now he sails back to Alqualonde to see his home one more time.
"Therefore, I humbly beseech and beg you to act with all haste, and seek the will of Iluvatar in this matter. I fear the king will not last long in his current state, as even now he suffers greatly. I must know whether Eru approves of this cure. I also wish to know if the Valar can possibly offer any further aid to the king, whether in this ritual or to ease his passing into the house of Mandos if the cure is not approved. It grieves me greatly to see the king suffer so. I will hasten to his side if there is anything at all that I might be able to do.
"I await your answer and continue to offer my prayers and my service to you and all of the Valar in the name of Him whom we all serve. May the will of Eru Iluvatar always be done.
Most humbly yours,
Dominique Darkwatch
Cleric of Iluvatar"
Dominique breathes a sigh as she looks the letter over. She hopes that it can be understood once it is received...IF it is received. She begins to formulate several different plans and decides to make several copies of her letter. One of them must get through to Taniquetil, the Holy Mountain, and the halls of Ilmarin, the dwelling place of Manwe and Varda.
The first note she ties to the leg of Voronwe, the hawk, outside the cleric guild.
“Cuiva! Vanta Tenequitel, vanta Manwë! Mauya nestië Olwë!”
(In quenya: “Wake up! Go to Tenequitel and go to Manwë! Olwë needs healing!”)
Voronwe immediately and obediently takes flight, westward and over the trees and out of sight. Dominique has no idea if Voronwe understood or knows the way. She cannot take the chance. She proceeds to employ other methods to deliver her letter to the Lord of the Valar. First, one copy goes into a bottle. which she kisses and throws into the river in hopes that Osse, or eventually Ulmo might come across it. She also takes some bread to a nreaby river, and plays her harp, thus attracting several swans, one of which she is able to scoop up gentle into her arms and to its leg tie a box that is sealed with the note inside. This one could be found as it rests in the waters or in the air, should it reach its intended destination.
Finally, she journeys to a small island south of of the realm. She lays the parchment on the ground and thinks about the king. Even though she has met him only a few times, his regal presence had a great impact on her. She had no trouble shedding tears as she imagined the pain and torment he must be going through. Once the letter was soaked with her tears and she said a prayer over it, she lit a fire. Then she carefully set the letter on the fire and played her harp while the smoke and charred pieces of the parchment went into the air and began to blow west. Perhaps this would be the one to reach Manwe, although she was not sure how.
She had done all she could, and now she would continue to pray and wait in faith.
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The first note she ties to the leg of Voronwe, the hawk, outside the cleric guild.
“Cuiva! Vanta Tenequitel, vanta Manwë! Mauya nestië Olwë!”
(In quenya: “Wake up! Go to Tenequitel and go to Manwë! Olwë needs healing!”)
Voronwe immediately and obediently takes flight, westward and over the trees and out of sight. Dominique has no idea if Voronwe understood or knows the way. She cannot take the chance. She proceeds to employ other methods to deliver her letter to the Lord of the Valar. First, one copy goes into a bottle. which she kisses and throws into the river in hopes that Osse, or eventually Ulmo might come across it. She also takes some bread to a nreaby river, and plays her harp, thus attracting several swans, one of which she is able to scoop up gentle into her arms and to its leg tie a box that is sealed with the note inside. This one could be found as it rests in the waters or in the air, should it reach its intended destination.
Finally, she journeys to a small island south of of the realm. She lays the parchment on the ground and thinks about the king. Even though she has met him only a few times, his regal presence had a great impact on her. She had no trouble shedding tears as she imagined the pain and torment he must be going through. Once the letter was soaked with her tears and she said a prayer over it, she lit a fire. Then she carefully set the letter on the fire and played her harp while the smoke and charred pieces of the parchment went into the air and began to blow west. Perhaps this would be the one to reach Manwe, although she was not sure how.
She had done all she could, and now she would continue to pray and wait in faith.
> Next Olwë > Next Sylvhara > Ainur Reactions